COMMON WAYS ID THEFT HAPPENS: 

Identity thieves use a variety of methods 

to steal your personal information, including: 

1.Dumpster Diving. They rummage through trash 

looking for bills or other paper with your personal 

information on it. 

2. Skimming. They steal credit/debit card numbers 

by using a special storage device when processing 

your card. 

3. Phishing. They pretend to be financial institutions, 

companies or government agencies, and send 

email or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your 

personal information. 

4.Hacking. They hack into your email or 

other online accounts to access your personal 

information, or into a company's database to 

access its records. 

5. “Old-Fashioned” Stealing. They steal wallets 

and purses; mail, including bank and credit card 

statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new 

checks or tax information. They steal personnel 

records from their employers, or bribe employees 

who have access. 

Fig h ting Back A gain s t

Identity Theft

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

Consumer Response Center

Federal Trade Commission

600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, H-130

Washington, DC 20580

 May 2010

To learn more about ID theft and how to deter, detect, 

and defend against it, visit ftc.gov/idtheft. Or request 

copies of ID theft resources by writing to:
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. 

Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your 

information. 

■ Shred financial documents and paperwork with 

personal information before you discard them.

■ Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry 

your Social Security card in your wallet or write your 

Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if 

absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier. 

■ Don’t give out personal information on the phone, 

through the mail or over the Internet unless you 

know who you are dealing with. Avoid disclosing 

personal financial information when using public 

wireless connections. 

■ Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails; 

instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls, 

anti-spyware and anti-virus software to protect 

your home computer; keep them up-to-date. If you 

use peer-to-peer file sharing, check the settings to 

make sure you’re not sharing other sensitive private 

files. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for more information.

■ Don’t use an obvious password like your birth date, 

your mother’s maiden name or the last four digits 

of your Social Security number. 

■ Keep your personal information in a secure place

at home, especially if you have roommates, employ 

outside help or are having work done in your house.

Defend against ID theft as soon as you suspect it. 

■ Place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports, and 

review the reports carefully. The alert tells creditors 

to follow certain procedures before they open new accounts in your name or make changes to your existing 

accounts. The three nationwide consumer reporting 

companies have toll-free numbers for placing an initial 

90-day fraud alert; a call to one company is sufficient: 

•	 Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)

•	 TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

•	 Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your 

credit reports. Look for inquiries from companies you 

haven’t contacted, accounts you didn’t open and debts on 

your accounts that you can’t explain. 

■ Contact the security or fraud departments of each 

company where an account was opened or charged 

without your okay.

•	 Follow up in writing, with copies of supporting documents. 

•	 Use the ID Theft Affidavit at ftc.gov/idtheft to support 

your written statement. 

•	 Ask for verification that the disputed account has 

been dealt with and the fraudulent debts discharged. 

•	 Keep copies of documents and records of your conversations about the theft.

■ File a police report. File a report with law enforcement 

officials to help you correct your credit report and deal 

with creditors who may want proof of the crime.

■ Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission.

Your report helps law enforcement officials across 

the country in their investigations.

•	 Online: ftc.gov/idtheft 

•	 By phone: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) 

or TTY, 1-866-653-4261

•	 By mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, 

Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580

Detect suspicious activity by routinely 

monitoring your financial accounts and billing 

statements. 

Be alert to signs that require immediate 

attention: 

■ Bills that do not arrive as expected 

■ Unexpected credit cards or account statements 

■ Denials of credit for no apparent reason

■ Calls or letters about purchases you did not make

■ Charges on your financial statements that you 

don’t recognize

Inspect:

■ Your credit report. Credit reports contain information about you, including what 

accounts you have and your bill paying history. 

•	 The law requires the major nationwide 

credit reporting companies—Equifax, 

Experian, and TransUnion—to give you a free 

copy of your credit report every 12 months if 

you ask for it. 

•	 Visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com

or call 1-877-322-8228, a service created 

by these three companies, to order your free 

annual credit report. You also can write: Annual 

Credit Report Request Service, 

P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

•	 If you see accounts or addresses you don’t 

recognize or information that is inaccurate, 

contact the credit reporting company and 

the information provider. To find out how 

to correct errors on your credit report, visit 

ftc.gov/idtheft.

DETER DETECT DEFEND

F ederal T rade C ommission | 600 P enns y l v ania Av e ., NW, W ashin g ton , DC 20580 | ftc . g o v / idtheft | 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338)