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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend May 28, 2006 Identity theft How you can protect yourself after your personal information is stolen By Eileen Ambrose The Baltimore Sun An imagination can run wild with what a thief can do with the Social Security numbers of more than 26 million U.S. veterans, but privacy experts and regulators are advising people not to panic. The recent theft of veterans' information from the Maryland home of a data analyst with the Department of Veteran Affairs appears to be a routine burglary — not the work of thieves targeting Social Security numbers, experts said. Also, the breach was well-publicized, said Linda Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego. That means millions of veterans will be on the lookout for potential ID theft and will detect it early if it occurs, she said. Advertisement The government is providing information and updates for veterans at www.firstgov.gov or 800-333-4636. Unless one notices suspicious activity on statements, there's no reason to close credit cards or bank accounts, federal officials said. Still, no one suggests that veterans or anyone else faced with a similar situation should just sit back and do nothing. There are steps that can be taken, including: Place a fraud alert in credit files. This is one of the first steps to take with the three major credit reporting agencies. This means you're requesting that creditors contact you before extending new credit under your name. Once you place the alert, you will receive a free report from each of the agencies. Check for unusual items, such as debts you don't owe or inquiries into your report from businesses you never heard of, advised the Federal Trade Commission. A free fraud alert will stay in your file for 90 days, but you can renew it, Foley said. Sometimes thieves won't use stolen information for 90 days, waiting until the fraud alert comes off. Be aware a fraud alert isn't foolproof, because not all credit issuers check credit reports. To place a fraud alert with one of the three major credit reporting agencies, call Equifax at 800-525-6285; Experian at 888-397-3742 and TransUnion at 800-680-7289. If you call one agency, it's supposed to contact the other two. Consider a credit freeze. This is far stronger than a fraud alert. Placing a credit freeze with a reporting agency will prevent creditors from seeing your file, which makes it unlikely new accounts would be opened. Consumers can lift the freeze, say, when they are ready to purchase a car, and later reinstate it. Seventeen states permit credit freezes for either all residents or just victims of identity theft. In some cases, there is a fee to place a freeze or to remove it. Monitor reports. You can pay for a service to monitor your credit reports for suspicious activity. The cost can run around $120 to $180 a year. But there's another way to monitor your report for free. Under federal law, consumers are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three major reporting agencies. By ordering one report from a different agency every four months, consumers can monitor their reports year-round for free. "It's a poor man's credit monitoring service," Foley said. You can order a free report under federal law at 877-322-8228, or at www.annualcreditreport.com . When getting a credit report, ask that your Social Security number be truncated, so only part of the number appears on the report, Foley advised. Thieves are aware that many consumers order credit reports following massive security breaches, and they might steal reports from unlocked mail boxes. Monitor your mail. Be on the lookout for bills that don't arrive on time, credit cards you didn't request or other unusual items on financial statements, the FTC said. Contact authorities. If it appears someone is using your information, contact the police. Also, file a complaint with the FTC at 877-ID-THEFT or 877-438-4338, or at ftc.gov/idtheft. The complaint information will be put into a database that is shared with 1,300 law-enforcement agencies nationwide, said Betsy Broder, with the FTC. The Web site also gives step-by-step information on combating fraudulent accounts opened in your name. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisements Advertisement