WHAT IS IDENTITY THEFT?

IDENTITY THEFT IS WHEN SOMEONE ELSE USES YOUR PERSONAL IDENTIFIYING INFORMATION TO OBTAIN A CREDIT CARD, LOAN , OR ANY OTHERTYPE OF CREDIT OR SERVICE IN YOUR NAME, WHEN SOMEONE OBTAINS EMPLOYMENT USING YOUR INFORMATION, OR WHEN SOMEONE ELSE FILES A BANKRUPTCY CASE USING YOUR NAME OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT?

• FILE A POLICE REPORT IMMEDIATLEY
• CONTACT ALL THREE CREDIT BUREAUS
• TO GET A COPY OF YOUR REPORTS AND
• TO PLACE FRAUD ALERTS
• CONTACT ALL OF YOUR CREDITORS, TO ADVISE THEM YOUR INFORMATION HAS BEEN COMPROMISED
• CLOSE ALL AFFECTED ACCOUNTS
• REQUEST THAT CREDITORS INDICATE THAT YOUR ACCOUNTS WERE “CLOSED BY CONSUMER’S REQUEST”
• HAVE CREDITORS CONTACT YOU BEFORE OPENING ANY NEW ACCOUNTS OR MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR EXISTING ACCOUNTS
• PASSWORD PROTECT ALL YOUR ACCOUNTS

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF FROM IDENTITY THEFT?

DO NOT PROVIDE PERSONAL INFORMATION OVER THE PHONE, THROUGH THE MAIL, OR OVER THE INTERNET

IF YOU RECEIVE A CALL CLAIMING YOU WON A PRIZE;
A) Do NOT provide/confirm personal information
B) Do NOT send ANY money
C) Do NOT provide any credit or banking information

GUARD YOUR WALLET/PURSE:
A) Keep it close to your physical body at all times
B) Do NOT carry your PIN numbers
C) Do NOT carry your Passport or Visa
D) Do NOT carry more credit cards than you need
E) Do NOT carry your Social Security card or number

KEEP YOUR MAIL PRIVATE AND SECURE:
A) Get a locking Mail Box OR……
B) Use the U.S. Post Office for outgoing mail
C) Do NOT leave mail lying around in your home
D) Do NOT allow mail to pile up if you are away

HAVE NEW CHECKS DELIVERED TO YOUR
BANK NOT TO YOUR HOME

BE CAREFUL WITH PERSONAL INFORMATION AT
HOME AND WHEN TRAVELING:
A) Use a telephone where your conversations cannot be
overheard
B) Make sure no one is looking over your shoulder at
ATM’s or pay phones
C) Do NOT use a cell phone to provide personal
information

CHECK YOUR CREDIT AND PROTECT YOURSELF

• REQUEST A CREDIT REPORT FROM EACH OF THE CREDIT BUREAUS:
• EQUIFAX (800) 685-1111
• EXPERIAN (888) 397-3742
• TRANS UNION (800) 888-4213
• SHRED PERSONAL INFORMATION
• KEEP A LIST OF YOUR CREDIT CARDS AND BANK ACCOUNTS AT HOME, SAFELY LOCKED AWAY .

OCSD ECONOMIC CRIMES MAIN LINE: OFFICE:714-647-7486 FAX: 714-647-7461
Make a folder to keep all documents, (make copies of all documents) phone numbers, names of personnel you have spoken with, how you discovered, or were notified of becoming a victim, and any other pertinent information that you mayacquire.
After you have filed a report with the OCSD, you will be given a case number, keep that number in your folder, as that will be your reference number when you talk to the Economic Crimes Detail. Once the report has been taken, it will take approximately 10 business days to reach the Economic Crimes Detail. If you get further information in the mean time, please hold on to that information until you have contact with your assigned Investigator.

Your OCSD Case Number Is:

Your OCSD Investigator’s Name:

Your OCSD Investigator’s Phone Number:

Contact Information For Victims of Identity Theft
Department of Motor Vehicles – if there was fraud involving your driver’s license www.dmv.ca.gov

Internal Revenue Service – if someone committed tax fraud in your name www.irs.gov

Passport Office – if there was fraud involving your passport http://travel.state.gov/passport

Social Security Administration – if there was fraud involving your Social Security Number www.saa.gov

U.S. Postal Service – if someone stole your mail or changed your mailing address www.postalinspectors.uspis.gov

U.S. Secret Service – if someone committed credit card fraud in your name www.secretservice.gov

Federal Trade Commission – to file complaints and to get information to repair your credit www.ftc.gov

Sample Letter to Collections Agency/Creditor
(Date) _ To Whom it May Concern, I received your letter demanding payment of $_____
I did not open this account or incur this unpaid balance. Someone, other than myself, wrongfully used my
personal information to obtain a line of credit/services. Your company extended a line of credit/services to
someone, other than myself. You are hereby notified that on this date , I filed an Identity Theft report with the Orange CountySheriff’s Department. The case number is __.
Thank you,