Identity theft is a serious crime. Victims spend time, energy and money trying to clear their good name. The Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund takes this threat very seriously. That is why we use account numbers, require changes of personal information to be made with an original signature and why we have a secured website.
To assist you in keeping your identity safe, we will excerpt the Federal Trade Commissions booklet WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO YOUR GOOD NAME.
We begin with how thieves retrieve your personal information followed by an article in our next issue explaining how you can safe guard your identity and finally provide information on what to do if you are a victim of identity theft.
WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO YOUR GOOD NAME
Here are some ways imposters can get your personal information and take over your identity.
• They
steal wallets and purses containing your identification and credit
and bank cards.
• They steal your mail, including your bank and credit card statements,
pre-approved credit offers, new checks, and tax information.
• They complete a “change of address form” to divert your mail
to another location.
• They rummage through your trash, or the trash of businesses, for personal
data in a practice know as “dumpster diving.”
• They fraudulently obtain your credit report by posing as a landlord,
employer or someone else who may have a legitimate need for, and legal right
to, the information.
• They find personal information in your home.
• They use personal information you share on the internet.
• They scam you, often through email, by posing as legitimate companies
or government agencies you do business with.
• They get your information from the workplace in a practice known as “business
record theft” by: stealing files out of offices where you’re a customer,
employee, patient or student; bribing an employee who has access to your files;
or “hacking” into electronic files.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) - www.ftc.gov.
The FTC is educating consumers and businesses about the importance of personal
information privacy. To request a free copy of WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO YOUR
GOOD NAME or any of the other FTC publications, call 1-877-FTC-HELP or visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft.
Animation: Ron Yungul