Document text
P/SUNNY Temp: 82 °F Wind: W at 13 mph Monday, August 4, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend August 1, 2003 Since You Asked I.D. theft is increasingly common My husband has a disabled- parking placard. I’ve read the information, but it doesn’t warn to hang it so the driver license number doesn’t show. Isn’t this information that could lead to identity theft? We have to be so careful of this these days. Thank you. — Jean A., Medford You don’t have to worry, Jean. The number on your husband’s disabled parking placard is not his driver license number; it’s just a random identification number, according to the state’s Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division. The number relates only to the placard and could not be used by another person to assume your identity, a DMV spokeswoman said. Advertisement Yet you’re wise to protect every piece of your identity, police said. Although not much harm could be done if another person had access to just your driver license number, police now advise against printing the number on personal checks to prevent check fraud. If the number isn’t there, most merchants will ask to see identification to determine if it matches the name on the checks. Identity theft is, indeed, a crime on the rise. To make sure you don’t become a victim, never give anyone — even someone who claims to have a legitimate solicitation — your Social Security number, bank account numbers or credit card information. Mail theft also has increased sharply in our area — it’s a source of information for identity theft, police said. Always mail bills from a secure postal pickup box. A locked mailbox or post office box will stymie would-be thieves from intercepting incoming mail. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times