Each year, millions of Americans have their identity stolen.

Identity theft is a serious crime. It occurs when your personal information is stolen and used without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes. Identity theft can cost you time and money. It can destroy your credit and ruin your good name.

How to protect yourself from Identity Theft:

• If you take advantage of automated renewal options to renew your driver’s license, including renewal by phone, mail and the internet, you are reminded to shred or otherwise destroy your old licenses and identification cards when you receive the replacement license or card by mail. This will prevent identity thieves from stealing your personal information.
• Purchase a copy of your driving record annually to see if it shows tickets that were not issued to you just as you would review your credit report for fraudulent activity.
• Do not leave mail in your mailbox overnight, and stop your mail delivery if you are going to be away from home.
• Do not carry extra credit cards, your Social Security card, passport or birth certificate except when absolutely necessary. Install a locked mailbox at your residence or use a post office box to reduce the chance of mail theft.
• Pick up new checks at your bank.
• Do not leave paid bills in your mailbox for the postal carrier to pick up.
• Ask your financial institutions to add extra security protection to your account. Most will allow you to use an additional code when accessing your account.
• Protect your Social Security Number at all costs. Do not let merchants write your SSN on your checks. Request merchants to use other forms of identification.
• Never allow credit card numbers to be written on your checks.
• Do not use your birth date or mother’s maiden name as PIN numbers or passwords.
• Remove your name from the marketing lists of the three credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. This will reduce the number of pre approved credit offers you receive in the mail.
• Shred all paperwork with financial and personal information on it before throwing it in the garbage.

What to do if you are a victim of Identity Theft

• Immediately call the fraud units of the three credit reporting companies: Experian, Equifax and Trans Union. Ask that your file be flagged with a fraud alert.
• Contact all creditors immediately with whom your name has been used fraudulently by phone and in writing. The Federal Trade Commission provides a uniform affidavit form that most creditors accept.
• Report the crime to your local police, sheriff’s office or Florida Highway Patrol, Bureau of Investigations, office.
• Notify the local Postal Inspector if you suspect an identity thief has filed a change of your address with the post office or has used the mail to commit fraud.
• Contact the Social Security Administration to report fraudulent use of your Social Security Number.
• Contact the passport office to alert them to anyone ordering a passport fraudulently in your name whether you have a passport or not.
• Call the fraud unit of the Division of Driver Licenses to see if another license has been issued in your name.

Identity theft links and contacts:

Secret Service
http://www.treas.gov/usss/financial_crimes.shtml
Website provides information about identity theft and many other types of fraud

AnnualCreditReport.com
http://www.annualcreditreport.com/
This central site allows you to request a free credit file disclosure, commonly called a credit report, once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

Federal Trade Commission
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
(877) ID-THEFT or (877) 438-4338
The Federal Trade Commission website provides information to “deter, detect, and defend” against identity theft. The website also provides helpful links for victims of identity theft.

Postal Inspection Service
www.usps.com/postalinspectors/

Social Security Administration
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/
(800) 772-1213
Social Security Administration website provides information about and guidelines for reporting Social Security fraud.

Credit Reporting Companies:

Equifax
http://www.equifax.com/ (800) 525-6285

Experian
http://www.experian.com/ (888) 397-3742

TransUnion
http://www.transunion.com/ (800) 680-7289

Check Verification Companies:

Chexsystems: 1-800-428-9623

Telecheck: 1-800-710-9898

U.S. government central website for information about identity theft
This website is maintained by the Federal Trade Commission. It contains government reports and Congressional testimony, law enforcement updates, and links to other sites with helpful information about identity theft.