Identity Theft: Don't Be a Victim!

"Identity theft? That only happens to other people."

Not true... it could happen to you, or someone you know! Over 10 million people became identity theft victims during a recent twelve-month period. How can you avoid becoming another statistic? Read on.

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is a crime in which someone illegally obtains information such as another individual's Social Security or driver's license numbers, and uses that information for his or her personal gain. Victims are left with a tainted reputation, poor credit, and the complicated task of restoring their good names.

Identity thieves employ a variety of sophisticated ways to steal your identity--everything from stealing documents with personal or financial information you may have left in the open or forgotten to shred before throwing away, to tricking you into providing private information over the phone or online.

How Can I Reduce My Risk?

You can't stop identity theft, but you can reduce your risk by taking more responsibility and being vigilant with your personal and financial information. The most important advice: check your credit report at least once a year. If you become a victim of identity theft, you can catch it early by checking your credit report regularly.

A recent amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the three consumer credit reporting companies (Experian, Trans Union and Equifax) to provide a free copy of your credit report once every twelve months. Contact them by phone or online:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; <www.equifax.com>
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); <www.experian.com>
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; <www.transunion.com>

For a list of other ways to help prevent identity theft, please visit Northwestern University Information Technology's (NUIT) Get Control Web site on Privacy and Identity Theft at <www.it.northwestern.edu/security/privacy>.

If You Think You are a Victim of Identity Theft...

  • File a report with the local police department. For incidents originating on campus, call University Police (UP) at extension 456 from any campus phone or 847-491-3456 for Evanston and 312-503-3456 for Chicago.

  • View the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft site, <www.consumer.gov/idtheft/> for information on contacting credit bureaus, closing accounts, filing complaints with the FTC, and more.

  • Visit NUIT's Get Control site on Privacy and Identity Theft for more information: <www.it.northwestern.edu/security/privacy/>.