Identity Theft

What Is Identity Theft?
How Can It Happen?
Minimize Your Risk
Sharing Personal Information with Businesses
If You Are a Victim
Resolving Credit Problems
Identity Theft Resources

What Is Identity Theft?

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft affects nearly 400,000 people in the US each year. A person whose identity has been stolen can spend months or years—and thousands of dollars—to clean up the mess made of their good name or credit record. For more information about Identity Theft, please visit the FTC Web site at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft.*

How Can It Happen?

• Your wallet or purse—containing ID, credit cards, debit cards
• Bank statements or receipts
• Mail—credit card statements, checks, tax information, pre-approved credit card offers, etc.
• Personal information from your home or home computer
• Files from offices where you are a customer, employee, patient or student

Minimize Your Risk

• Order a copy of your credit report. Make sure it's accurate and includes only the activities you've authorized. Do this at least once a year to catch mistakes and fraud before they wreak havoc on your personal finances.
• Guard passwords and PINs that allow you to access your credit card, financial and phone accounts—and avoid using easily available information such as your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your phone number.
• Secure personal information in your home. Remove your new mail from the mailbox promptly and send outgoing mail from the post office or other secure mail boxes. Tear or shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, physician statements, checks and bank statements. Where available, arrange to receive your account statements online instead of on paper.
• Review your account statements on a regular basis, and use online or phone balance and transaction review features. These are among the best ways to watch for fraudulent activity on all of your financial accounts.
• Find out who has access to your personal information at work and verify that records are kept in a secure location.
• Don't carry your SSN card—leave it in a secure place.
• Learn how to keep your computer and personal information safe.

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Sharing Personal Information with Businesses

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If You Are a Victim

1. Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus to inform them that you are an identity theft victim. Request that a "fraud alert" be placed on your file and request a copy of your credit report. Please see the resources section for a listing of credit bureau contact numbers.
2. If you believe your accounts have been tampered with or fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name, close these accounts immediately. If you have a Washington Mutual account with unauthorized credit or debit activity, please contact customer service immediately. To initiate a search for Washington Mutual accounts or to request account documentation for known fraudulent accounts created through identity theft, please complete an Identity Theft Account Documentation Request.
3. File a police report with your local police department or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Ask for a copy of the police report; often credit card companies and others will need proof of the crime to erase the debts caused by identity theft.

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Resolving Credit Problems

• Credit reports: Call the Credit Bureau and inform them of the information on your credit report that you believe is inaccurate. Follow up in writing and include copies (not originals) of your documentation such as a copy of the police report or your credit card statement with circles around the items in question.
  
• Credit cards: Write your credit card company or other provider to inform them of fraudulent charges. Send your letter so that it arrives at the creditor within 60 days from when the first bill containing the charge was sent to you.
  
• ATM cards, debit cards and electronic fund transfers: If your ATM or Debit MasterCard® is stolen or lost or you find a fraudulent transaction on your statement, visit your nearest Washington Mutual Financial Center or call customer service at (800) 788-7000.

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Identity Theft Resources

Credit Bureaus

• Equifax
  http://www.equifax.com/*
  To report fraud, call: 800.525.6285 and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
  
• Experian
  http://www.experian.com/*
  To report fraud, call: 888.EXPERIAN (888.397.3742) and write: P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
  
• TransUnion
  http://www.transunion.com/*
  To report fraud, call: 800.680.7289 and e-mail: fvad@transunion.com or write: Fraud Victim Assistance Department, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

Opt-Out Organizations

• Credit Cards
  To opt out of receiving pre-screened credit card offers, please call 888-5-OPTOUT ((888)-567-8688).
  
• Federal "Do Not Call" Registry
  http://www.ftc.gov/donotcall *
  
• Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
  Check with your state DMV to learn more about their policies on sharing personal information with other agencies at http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/dmv-add.htm*
  

Direct Marketing Association

Additional Resources

• Social Security Number Theft and Misuse
  Social Security Administration:
  http://www.ssa.gov/*
  
• Mail Theft
  http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/*
  
• Phone Fraud
  http://www.fcc.gov/*

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