Identity Theft: What the Government Won't Tell You!

Recently, Americans have become much more aware of the threat of identity theft. Identity theft has been an issue for decades but with the advances in technology it is now easier to find out that someone is using your identity and the financial consequences are much more serious. Unfortunately, it is also much easier for an identity thief to access your personal information and despite all the publicity, government and private organizations are even less respectful of your privacy and often their policies contribute to the practice of identity theft.

People often envision an identity thief as an illegal immigrant, desperate and destitute men, or bored white collar executives. The reality is that an identity thief could be anyone. An operator at the phone company who has some extra bills to pay, an ex-husband or ex-wife, a family member with a drug problem or just plain struggling, a landlord, a grocery clerk, or any number of strangers, friends, and family that use your identifying information for financial gain or other reason.

Some identity thieves use fake/stolen ID to work, rent an apartment, get utility service, or register to vote. Some thieves are more malicious, using the fake/stolen ID to obtain loans, buy cars, electronics, or other items on credit, and even access your bank account where they can empty your account. Some criminals will even use your identity when pulled over by police or picked up on petty theft or other misdemeanors. There is even the occasional violent criminal who uses someone else's information, which is used by the police to issue a warrant. In those cases, if the criminal is already in the system under a different name he/she will be correctly identified. Unfortunately, criminals who have never been fingerprinted can cause many problems for their ID theft victim when the victim is picked up on a warrant and must prove mistaken identity to the police or courts.

Even knowing the consequences to victims of ID theft, and even knowing that an ID thief can be anyone, still governmental agencies and private businesses request or require your sensitive information! Recently I contacted the management of an apartment complex where I was interested in renting. I was told to send them copies of social security cards for everyone in my family, birth certificates for everyone, and photo ID for adult household members. All of these documents can be altered to serve the purpose of any ID thief who gets hold of them! I explained this to the management, as well as requested to view a unit so I could determine if I even wanted to rent from them. They still said I needed to send my personal information first No way! The phone company required me to give up my social security number, or pay a $150. deposit. Many utility companies have a similar policy. This is not okay, as people living in poverty or near poverty don't have that kind of extra money, so are forced to give their private information to receive services. I went to donate plasma and was required to provide my SSN. I was unable to donate because of a medical condition and so requested the paper with my SSN on it to be returned to me. I was told they needed my information- so I reminded them I was not donating and they were not paying me anything so had no right to my personal information. As I refused to leave without it, I got the paper back before they stuck my SSN in their computer system. These are just a few real-life examples of how companies are taking our information and making us vulnerable to ID theft.

You may be thinking your information is safe with government agencies, but that is not the case either. Visiting one government agency (a division of Health and Human services), I was shown into an interview room and left to my own devices for about 10 minutes. Not so abnormal, really, but what surprised me was a copy of someone's photo ID and social security card sitting on the table. I removed the papers, put them in my pocket, and left after my appointment. The worker never noticed they were gone! (I did return the information the next day). At a different office, I was in a conference room for a support group. I arrived first and saw a paper on the table. Thinking it was something for my group I picked it up and discovered the results of someone's mental health evaluation. It had their name, birthdate, SSN, and of course their personal mental health information. After determining what it was, I found someone in the right department to put it where it belonged. By the way, this conference room is never locked (unless in use) and is open to the public.

There are many ways in which the ID thief can alter your information or even use a little information to get a lot more information. For example: If I knew someone's birthdate, place of birth, last couple addresses, and their mother's maiden name I could simply call the Social Security Administration and ask them for the SSN by pretending to be that person. How to find out this info? Just ask them! Many people will tell you all of this in casual conversation. If I chat with my neighbor I could easily find out her birthdate, where she was born, and her mother's maiden name. By asking where she lived before, I can do an Internet search and find previous addresses. Genealogy sites would also be likely have that person's family information including mother's maiden name so even if they didn't tell me it would be easy to find. I won't explain how copies of documents can be altered because ID thieves use articles such as this and news articles to learn more ways of stealing ID. Suffice to say that a person could buy what they needed for about $5. at many stores and make your document theirs.

Identity theft is likely to continue to increase unless government and private companies stop requiring people to give out their SSN's and stop requiring copies of sensitive documents! The media needs to stop printing and airing "how-to" information for ID thieves under the guise of informing to protect the innocent. A news station where I live recently aired a story of a woman caught committing check fraud (using other people's checks). She had made a deal with the District Attorney to tell all her methods and ways. The station taped this woman explaining exactly how she got away with it for so long, and aired this to the public. Great! Now I know how to commit check fraud without getting caught, because not only do I now know how she did it for so long, I also know how she got caught so I know how to avoid her mistakes! Good thing I'm honest, but many viewers of this news program are not. Telling a criminal how to be a better criminal should not be considered mainstream journalism.

The only way to reduce ID theft is to insist the government go back to using SSN's for tax purposes only. Credit checks can be done with your name and birthdate. When ID verification is needed, showing your photo ID is sufficient. When verification of citizenship is needed, showing your social security card is sufficient. (A passport would achieve both objectives). An authorized representative of the private or governmental agency can sign a statement for your record that they have seen the documents and found your information to be authentic. You should also sign the form verifying that you did show the proper documents and certify their authenticity. To prevent abuses of this by unsavory representatives, a witness (a different representative) can be required as well. Financial institutions should not take your SSN until they have accepted your application for an account, a loan, or whatever. Only after your application is accepted and you accept their offer should your SSN be recorded for their records. Doing all this will reduce your risk of having your information stolen as well as protect companies from being given fake copies of information. When the actual document is required rather than a copy, it is much easier to spot a counterfeit document. We must stand up for ourselves, become our own privacy advocates, and only then can change happen!