|
About this
information
This page is dedicated to
keeping you informed about insurance protection plans along
with identity theft, scams and other
threats to your personal information.
Sun Federal Scam/Fraud Protection Information
Please use the following resources and
information to keep your identity and your personal
information safe. How can someone steal your identity?
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal
information such as your name, Social Security number, credit
card number or other identifying information, without your
permission to commit fraud or other crimes.
Please use the
following resources to stay safe:
Scam Alerts
-
Scams Sent Via Text Message & Cell Phone (Reported September 9, 2008 by Pennsylvania Credit Union Association [pcuainfo@pcua.coop])
-
Phishing Scams Affecting Ohio Credit Unions
(Reported August 19, 2008 - Ohio Credit Union League)
Multiple phishing scams posing as various Ohio credit unions began circulating. Members and non-members are receiving e-mails and cell phone text messages informing them that online account access has been suspended. Recipients are given a phone number to call to re-instate their online access (this is how the fraudsters steal their account information and potentially withdraw funds).
Ohio credit unions have already had members fall prey to
these scams. DO NOT CALL THIS PHONE NUMBER. If you receive a
phishing email asking for information described, please
contact Sun Federal
Credit Union.
-
Fraud Alert: Fraudsters Posing As CUNA (Reported
August 7, 2008)
CUNA is aware of new phishing e-mails that are circulating. These e-mails reference a new service, "Your Credit Union Rewards You." with a link to collect the reward.
Neither CUNA nor CUNA Strategic Services offers such a program. Do not provide any information to these sites.
The Credit Union National Association is the trade association for credit unions in the US. CUNA does not maintain any type of customer/member financial information. Additionally, your financial institution would never request personal identification information over the phone via an e-mail solicitation. If you did respond to this e-mail, you should contact your financial institution directly using the local phone number provided by your financial institution.
-
Vishing Attacks Increase:
A Message From The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (Reported January 2008)
-
Fraud Alert For
Sun Federal Members!
(July 2008)
Sun Federal would like to warn members of a current telephone phishing scam. Several members have received a phone call stating "this is Sun Federal calling to let you know that your Visa Credit Card or ATM Check Card account has been suspended." Members are then directed to call a 515-414-xxxx (last 4 digits vary) telephone number to reactivate the account. This is a scam! Please DO NOT call the 515 number.
-
Pennsylvania Attorney General Corbett Warns Consumers To Be Watchful For Undisclosed Energy "Surcharges" (Reported May 2008)
Other Online Resources
(These links will take
you off the Sun Federal Web site)
Insurance
Google:
Nationwide Reverse Telephone Book
Google has implemented a feature which enables you to type a
telephone number into the search bar and hit enter, and you
will be given the person's name and address. If you then hit
Map, you will get a map to the person's house.
It's a nationwide reverse telephone
book. If a child gives out his/her phone number, someone can
now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The safety
issues are obvious and alarming.
You can have your phone number
removed or blocked. In order to test whether your phone
number is mapped, go to Google at
www.google.com, type your phone number in the search bar
(e.g. 555- 555- 1212) and press enter. If you want to BLOCK
Google from divulging your private information, simply click
on your telephone number and then click on the Removal Form.
Removal takes 48 hours.
Please share this information with
friends and family.
Fraud
Protection for Sun Federal Products
Printer Friendly Version
Account security is a high priority for Sun Federal Credit
Union. We take every precaution to prevent and avoid
fraudulent activity. Whenever we learn of potential risk or
exposure members can trust appropriate measures will be taken
immediately. We have security measures that give members an
extraordinary level of protection. Plus, with the following
tips in mind, members can feel confident wherever using a Sun
Federal Visa Credit Card or ATM Check Card.
Card and PIN safety
- Report lost or stolen cards
immediately. During business hours call your local office.
Outside business hours, please call (800) 991-4961 for Visa
or (800) 523-4175.
- Activate your card and sign
the signature panel as soon as you receive it.
- Protect your cards as if
they were cash.
- Don’t leave your cards in
the glove compartment of your car. An alarmingly high
proportion of all card thefts occur in glove compartments.
- Never write down your
PIN—memorize it. Also, never use your PIN as a password.
- Ensure that you get your
card back after every purchase.
- Always check sales vouchers
for the correct purchase amount before you sign them, and
keep copies of your vouchers and ATM receipts.
- Always reconcile each of
your statements and verify the amounts of your purchases and
transactions.
- Make a comprehensive list of
all your cards and their numbers and store it in a safe
place.
- Don’t volunteer any personal
information when you use your credit card, other than by
displaying personal ID as requested by a merchant.
- Don’t lend your card to
anyone. You are responsible for its use. Some credit card
misuse can be traced directly to family and friends.
- Never disclose your PIN to
anyone. No one from a financial institution, the police, or
a merchant should ask for a PIN.
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You’re protected
Visa has highly sophisticated fraud-screening solutions in
place and works with technology companies every day to enhance
them. Field merchants also receive training from Visa on fraud
protection. Visa mandates cardholder verification codes on the
back of cards to help merchants match cards used for purchases
with their authorized cardholders. Visa’s address verification
service also helps merchants screen card-not-present
transactions. Regardless of where you shop, enjoy the comfort
of knowing you’re protected.
Monitoring of your Visa account for fraudulent activity
Continuous monitoring is an integral part of Visa’s multiple
layers of security. In addition to other fraud monitoring
tools, Visa can often spot fraud based upon transactions on
the card that are outside of the cardholders' typical
purchasing pattern. This allows Visa to spot fraudulent
activity as quickly as possible, acting as an early-warning
system to identify fraudulent activity.
Here are some red flags that indicate potentially
fraudulent activity:
- Shipping address is
different from the billing address. Or the shipping address
has suddenly changed.
- Unusually large purchase
compared to normal purchase patterns for the account in
question.
- Change in name on the
account
- Change in date of birth or
social security number.
If there are suspicious transactions,
Sun Federal Credit Union will contact you by phone to verify
the validity of the questionable transactions.
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ATM safety
Using your ATM card is a convenient and safe way to get cash.
Just be sure to keep in mind the following safety tips:
- Watch your surroundings --
If the machine is poorly lit, or in a hidden area, use
another ATM.
- Guard your pin -- Keep a
lookout for suspicious activity. Always guard your PIN and
transaction amount, and immediately cancel your transaction
and leave if you see something suspicious.
- Keep your card ready --
Avoid counting cash, or rummaging through personal items,
while standing at the ATM.
- Be safe at the drive-thru --
When using a drive-through ATM, lock car doors and other
windows—when walking up, never leave your car running or
unlocked.
- Take your receipt -- Always
take your receipt. It contains personal information that
could be helpful to thieves.
- Avoid strangers -- When
using an indoor ATM that requires your card to open the
door, don’t let unknown people in.
- Be aware of suspicious items
on the ATM ie. Additional devices, cameras etc.
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Online Safety
The Web can be a great place to find information, but be extra
cautious about the information you give. Here are a few tips
to keep in mind while online.
- Never send account
information, such as your account number or PIN, in the body
of an email. Email is not a secure form of communication.
- Beware of phishing emails.
These are emails that appear to be from your financial
institution or an online merchant asking you to provide your
account information. These emails are bogus. Sun Federal,
Visa and reputable merchants will never ask for any account
or personal information in an email. Never click on Internet
links within emails. Instead, type the known web address.
- Before making purchases
online, be sure that the site has built-in security features
to protect your account information. All reputable merchant
sites use encryption technology to protect your private data
from being read by others as you conduct an online
transaction. Look for signs of security such as a padlock in
the status bar at the bottom of the browser window, a web
address that begins “https://”, or the words “Secure Sockets
Layer (SSL).” These signs indicate that only you and the
merchant can view your payment information.
- When using a public computer
to shop online or access your account(s), always remember to
log off and quit the browser when you’re finished. All it
takes for someone to view your information is simply hitting
the back button.
- Protect information by only
using a computer that has a firewall in place.
- Implement anti-spyware and
anti-virus software updates as soon as they’re available.
- Sign-up for Verified by
Visa, a free service to add a password to your Visa for
online purchases. When you shop at participating merchants,
the password is required before the card is accepted as
payment.
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Mail
and phone safety
Mail and telephone solicitations bring many tempting offers,
but not all are legitimate! Be especially careful about deals
that sound too good to be true, and keep the following advice
in mind:
- Never give your account
information to anyone claiming to be from Sun Federal or
Visa unless you initiated the call. Sun Federal Credit
Union employees will only verify information not ask for it!
- Be wary of high-pressure
sales tactics, especially if the sale must be completed
immediately.
- Record the name, address and
phone number of the soliciting organization, and references.
- Ask questions. The fewer
questions a telemarketer can answer, the less likely they
are a legitimate call.
- Do not give your account
number over the phone unless you initiated the call. When in
doubt, consult the Better Business Bureau or the U.S. Postal
Inspection Service.
- Notify the Post Office
immediately if you change your address.
- Make sure your mailbox is
secure, and promptly remove delivered mail.
- Call the Post Office
immediately if you are not receiving your mail.
- If you are told of a
forwarding order placed on your mail without your knowledge,
go to the Post Office to check the signature and cancel the
order.
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What you can do
The majority of identity fraud crimes are self-detected. You
can be your own fraud monitor just by paying close attention
to your statements, particularly online. According to a recent
report by the Better Business Bureau, accessing accounts
online provides earlier identity theft detection compared to
monitoring monthly paper statements and bills. If you notice a
suspicious transaction, promptly report it. By following these
simple steps, you will be able to better protect your card
from unauthorized use. Through
SunTouch 24
and
EZCardinfo.com, members can review account activity 24/7.
We encourage you to enroll.
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ID Theft: Are You
Protected?
Identity theft is more than an inconvenience to those that are
attacked. It can haunt victims for years.
Order a credit report.
Your consumer rights
now allow you to obtain a free copy of your credit report, at
your request, once every 12 months from all 3 bureaus. You
can request them all at the same time or staggered throughout
the year.
-
Via
the Internet
www.annualcreditreport.com
-
Call
1-877-322-8228
-
Annual
Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Many times people don’t realize that
they have been a victim until long after the ID Theft has
occurred. One way to be more vigilant and detect theft early
is to order a credit report at least annually from the three
major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Until
recently, each report had to be purchased separately, but the
bureaus have joined forces and created a combined report that
may be ordered from the bureau of your choice. Victims of ID
theft can now call any bureau toll-free to report a theft and
the information would be relayed to all three agencies. When
reviewing the report it is important to:
- Ensure all accounts listed
are legitimate accounts and the balances are what you expect
them to be.
- Look for anything
suspicious. Review who has ordered your credit report and
make sure you’ve authorized all of the inquiries. Names of
companies that you are not familiar with may be a sign of
fraud.
- Check for addresses where
you have never lived.
- Check for typos in your
social security number. 5. If there is any incorrect
information in the records contact the credit bureau,
creditor, employer, or government agency immediately. Follow
up with a letter describing what actions were taken.
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Precautions: Protect Your Personal Information.
If you receive pre-screened credit card offers and don’t tear
them up, identity thieves could retrieve the offers and use
them to steal your identity without your knowledge.
- To opt out of receiving pre-screened credit card offers,
call:
1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688) or
click here.
- In addition, you can contact
the three major credit bureaus and request that your
personal information is not shared for promotional purposes
by writing to:
- Equifax, Inc.
Options
PO Box 740123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123
- Experian Consumer
Opt-Out
701 Experian Parkway
Allen, TX 75013
- TransUnion
Marketing List Opt-Out
PO Box 97328
Jackson, MS 39288-7328
Contact the Direct Marketing Association
to opt-out of direct mail, telemarketing, and e-mail.
In addition, you may register for a
state “do not call” list. To see if one is available in your
state, please see,
FTC Do
Not Call.
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Ohio ID Theft
Victims Given Tool to Undo Damage
Victims of identity theft now have a way of showing law
enforcement and creditors that their ID has been stolen and
can begin re-establishing their credit history and identifying
fraudulent criminal charges.
The statewide Identity Theft Verification Passport program
allows victims to receive a Passport card after filing a
police report and the law enforcement agency verifies it. The
application is designed to take less than 10 minutes. The
application can only be filed by law enforcement officials
through the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway, a secure Web site
used by law enforcement agencies to share information.
The agency submits the application and police report to the
attorney general's office, which verifies the information and
issues an identification number to the victim. The number is
placed on the card, which the victim must activate.
The program uses several security features, such as a picture,
fingerprint, and signature, which are stored as identifiers.
If a member of law enforcement stops someone claiming to be an
identity-theft victim, the officer can check whether the
picture, fingerprint, and signature match those in the
database.
For additional information, call 1-888-694-3463 or visit
www.ag.state.oh.us.
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Guard Against
ID Theft While Shopping
Here are some safety tips to help guard against theft while
shopping:
-
Carry only what's needed. Limit
the credit and debit cards you carry, so if the wallet's
stolen, you've made harder for crooks to cash out on
multiple cards.
-
Guard your Social Security Card.
Never carry the card unless you know you'll need it. Store
it in a secure place. Don't put your Social Security number
or driver's license on your checks.
-
Exercise caution in giving out
personal information. Don't give information over the
phone, through mail or over the Internet unless you're the
one who initiated the contact.
- Guard against
phishing when shopping online.
Shop online only at legitimate websites to avoid "phishers"
who bait potential victims with e-mails and lure them to
sites that look legitimate but aren't. Be wary of responding
to "great" specials received via email or online. Do not
provide sensitive personal
and financial information to anyone promising gift cards or
merchandise from major retailers.
-
Memorize your PIN and online password.
One-third of ATM frauds involved cardholders who wrote their
PIN on their ATM cards or on slips of papers kept with the
cards. Don't use your address, birth date or Social Security
number as a PIN or password.
-
Watch cashiers closely. Watch
anyone who handles your check or plastic cards. Make sure
they swipe the card only once. Get your cards back quickly
and never let them out of your sight.
-
Watch your paperwork. Always take
receipts and carbons. Thieves can retrieve information on
them by "dumpster diving" through your trash. They look for
pre-approved offers you may have received in the mail with
your bank statements, ATM receipts and discarded checks.
Shred important information.
-
Be suspicious of phone solicitations.
Never provide information unless you initiate the call. To
reduce telephone solicitations from national marketers, send
your name, address and phone number to: DMA Telephone
Preference Service, P.O. Box 9014, Farmingdale, NY
11735-9014.
-
Check your credit report. Once a
year, get a copy of your credit report from the three main
credit reporting agencies. Look for errors that could
negatively impact you. The law permits the credit bureaus to
charge up to $9 for each report, but in early 2005,
consumers can get a free annual credit report.
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Suspicious Checks
If you can answer "Yes" to any of the
following questions involving a check you plan on depositing,
please call your local office immediately...the check is
probably fraudulent.
-
Is the check proceeds for an item you
sold on the Internet such as a car, boat, jewelry, etc?
-
Is the check amount more than the items
selling price?
-
Have you been instructed to wire funds
out of the country as soon as possible?
-
Is the check from an individual you have
communicated with via email?
-
Is the check drawn on a business or
individual different from the person buying your item or
product?
-
Have you been informed that you were the
winner in a lottery that you did not enter?
-
Have you been asked to assist in the
distribution of money from another country?
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Email Scams
One of the more common scams is a spam
campaign that targets a broad range of recipients. The message
sent usually requests sensitive information from the end user,
such as user ID and password. The emails attempt to justify
the request as a verification of account credentials, or make
reference to other security-related motives. Others scammers
reference an online service that might sound familiar to some
recipients, such as an account transfer, or receipt of funds.
Unfortunately, these types of scams are not difficult to
arrange, and some of the emails are very authentic looking.
JQ Bank Grant Scam
According to the Better Business Bureau,
law enforcement and other agencies, a new type of online
scam for grant money has surfaced. This scam appears to be
another version of the “overpayment scam”.
Victims are solicited online regarding
grants that may be available to them. These grants may be
for education, debt relief, low income subsidy, or any other
type of “financial aid.” Responding victims apply for their
grant and are sent printed information along with a check,
typically for $4,975.00. They are then directed to a
website for instructions. The site instructs the victim to
purchase a specific variety of stored value credit card (*GREENDOT
Reloadable/MoneyPak) and load it with the grant broker’s
“commission.” They are promised a second, larger check
after the stored value card number is e-mailed to the
broker. Of course, the card is quickly liquidated and the
original check is later returned as counterfeit, or account
closed.
The websites reportedly used in the scam
are:
www.jqbank.com,
www.grantchecks.com,
www.beverlyhillsgrants.com, and
www.grantoutlet.com. The scammers move their operation
to a new website when they start attracting too much
scrutiny.
* GREENDOT Reloadable/Money Pak stored
value credit cards are legitimate cards but are being used
as part of this scam.
Scam Details:
- A grant seems like a
reasonable explanation for receiving a large sum of
money and is very attractive to college students.
- The counterfeit
checks are often drawn on an active and verifiable
account, typically at Wells Fargo.
- Convincing printed
information is provided to the victim with a
plausible explanation for why funds need to be sent
back to the broker. (Conflict of interest,
regulations, etc…)
- Money is transferred
back to the scammer via stored value credit card.
Thus, avoiding the suspicion often generated by wire
transfers. This method also facilitates further
laundering of the stolen funds.
OR:
- Grant money is
received for a mere commission of 10% of the check
amount.
- The receiver of the
grant money deposits the check, and then via
Electronic Funds Transfer, sends 10% of the check
amount back through a given website.
- The check is
returned as counterfeit and the thief now has the
depositor’s good money along with their bank account
information.
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Subject:
NCUA Account Review Department
Dear Credit Union holder account,
This notice informs you that your Credit Union bank has
joined our Federal Credit Union(FCU) network. For both, our
and your security, we are asking you to activate an online
account on our database. After activation you can login on
our system with your SSN and your Credit/Debit PIN number.
You must visit the FCU activation page and fill in the form
to activate your online account:
https://www.ncua.gov/activate_account
In accordance with NCUA User Agreement, you can use your
online account in 24 hours after activation. We thank you
for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand
that this is a security measure intended to help protect you
and your account.
National Credit Union Administration Team apologize for any
inconvenience.
Sincerely,
NCUA Account Review Department
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Beware of latest spam scam with
vicious virus attachment
the Sober Y worm virus -- declared this “year’s worst” virus
-- is circulating around the world via an E-mail that purports
addresses such as ncuf@ncuf.coop, admin@fbi.gov, or admin@cia.gov.
The email says the recipient has been logged as a visitor to
illegal websites and should open the attachment to answer some
questions.
-
Never supply sensitive information (such
as user id and password, etc.) via email.
-
Links that are contained in an email
received from an unknown source should not be trusted, since
they could lead an end user to an unsafe site that looks
genuine, but is used as a way to collect sensitive
information.
-
Accessing SunTouch 24 account access by
typing the URL into the browser's address bar (or by using a
previously established bookmark) is the safest way to gain
access, and prevents scammers from redirecting you to an
unsafe site.
-
If you have questions about email that is
purportedly sent by Sun Federal Credit Union, please contact
us before taking any action.
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Pharming Replacing
Phishing
Online crooks are beginning to move from
phishing to pharming to reap a bigger harvest of identity
theft victims. Experts warn that pharming may be more sinister
than phishing because it's harder to detect.
Unlike phishing, which uses e-mail spam to deliver fake
messages, pharming operates through fake Web sites. It
automatically directs computer users from a legitimate Web
site to a fraudulent copy of that site with no warning signs.
Once a victim is transferred to the fake site, it collects
passwords, credit card numbers, and other private information
for the purpose of committing identity theft.
Phishing requires a response from the
victim, but pharming does not. One expert compared phishing to
pulling individual fish out of an ocean, and pharming to
throwing out a big net.
Currently, pharming attacks are rare, but security experts
warn that they could become a problem in the coming months,
exploding much the same as phishing attacks during the past
year.
Online users are urged to watch for uncommon log-in processes
that don't look the same as on the legitimate site. Some
fraudulent sites will ask users for information such as a
Social Security number, not normally required.
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Protecting
Yourself Against ID Theft
-
Be careful about the information you give
out over the phone or on the Internet unless you are sure
you know whom you are dealing with. If someone calls you, do
not assume they are who they say they are. Insist on calling
back on a number you know is legitimate.
-
Remember that Web sites can be faked.
What may look like a legitimate online storefront or contest
may simply be a scam to trick you into revealing personal
information.
-
Take a good hard look at what you are
carrying around in your wallet or purse. Carry only the
identification information and the number of credit and
debit cards that you will actually need. Leave your Social
Security card – and anything that bears that number – in a
secure place. Your medical insurance card may have your
social security number. Make a copy of the card, black out
the number on the copy, and carry the copy.
-
Make a photocopy of the front and back of
everything in your wallet or purse. Put the copy in a safe
place so you will have the account numbers and contact
numbers in the event you need to cancel credit cards.
-
Do not have your SSN or DL# printed on
your checks.
-
Make sure checks (used and unused),
credit cards, bank records, and other personal information
is carefully secured in your home or office, particularly if
other people, whether workers or roommates, will be around.
-
Guard your mail. If your mailbox is left
unattended during the day while you are not at home,
consider installing a locked mailbox, a mail slot, or using
a Post Office Box.
-
Hold onto your purse, your wallet, your
checkbook. Do not leave them unattended. If you discover a
checkbook, credit card, or personal information missing,
take appropriate action to notify your financial
institutions.
-
If your deposit account information ends
up in the hands of the wrong party, consider closing your
account and opening a new one with a new account number.
-
Shred documents with
sensitive/confidential information before throwing them
away.
-
Secure your trash. Be careful what you
throw away. Statements from your doctor, checks on closed
accounts, expired charge cards or IDs are treasures to
thieves. . Dumpster divers can piece together little bits of
information to get what they need to steal your identity.
-
If you do not use pre-screened offers for
credit, opt out of receiving them.
Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT
-
Talk to the financial institutions and
brokerage firms where you have accounts about placing
passwords on them.
-
Choose passwords for online financial
services wisely. Avoid anything easily guessed or learned
via research, such as mother’s maiden name, kids’ names, and
pets’ names.
-
Take your receipt with you when you leave
the ATM.
-
Ask about information security and data
storage procedures of the companies you do business with,
including your doctor’s office, dentist’s office, and
anywhere else that has your Social Security number.
-
Give your SSN only when absolutely
necessary.
-
Know your billing and statement cycles.
If something is late, find out why.
-
Check your banking, brokerage, and credit
card statements immediately after receipt in order to spot
bogus charges.
-
Cancel all unused credit accounts.
-
Be wary of promotional scams, “You are a
winner” letters, and requests for help from strangers in
foreign countries who promise you riches.
-
Be sure that you receive your check
orders in a timely manner.
-
Obtain a copy of your credit report once
a year and take action if there is information about
transactions or accounts you did not initiate.
-
Consider signing up for a service that
will monitor your credit report and any new credit
accounts/inquiries for you and will notify you of changes.
Sun Federal will soon have a web link to a service that will
monitor your credit report and any new credit
accounts/inquiries for you and will notify you of changes.
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Warning Signs of
Child Identity Theft
Identity theft crooks increasingly are targeting teenagers and
even young children. Why? Because young victims may not
discover the crime until years later when they open a checking
account or apply for a credit card (MarketWatch.com
Nov. 15).
Know the warning signs of child identity theft:
-
Preapproved credit card offers arrive in
the child's name;
-
Credit card or other financial statements
(other than those held jointly by parent and child) arrive
in the child's name;
-
The child receives collection-agency
notifications or calls about accounts established
fraudulently in the child's name.
Know how to protect children from
identity theft:
-
Don't carry a child's Social Security
card in your wallet or purse.
-
Don't release a child's personal
information without knowing who will use it and for what
purpose.
-
Limit the number of copies of the child's
birth certificate and Social Security number you give out.
The Identity Theft Resource Center recommends you ask who
will have access to information and where it will be stored,
even if the copies are required for participation in sports
or other extracurricular activities.
-
Tell the child why he or she shouldn't
give out personal information, particularly on the Internet.
Order copies of the child's credit report
annually from the three main credit-reporting agencies. The
report will include legitimate accounts--such as credit cards
in the teenager's name--as well as unauthorized accounts and
requests for credit.
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Telephone Scams
Jury Duty
In this con, someone calls pretending to be a court
official who threateningly says a warrant has been issued for
your arrest because you didn't show up for jury duty. The
caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that
you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks
you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or
she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant.
Sometimes they even ask for credit card numbers. Give out any
of this information and bingo! Your identity just got stolen.
The scam has been reported so far in 11 states, including
Oklahoma, Illinois and Colorado. This (scam) is particularly
insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try
to bully people into giving information by pretending they're
with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system
have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning
consumers about the fraud.
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Ordering a Free Credit
Report
Your consumer rights now allow you to obtain a free copy of
your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months from
all 3 bureaus. You can request them all at the same time or
staggered throughout the year.
-
Via
the Internet
www.annualcreditreport.com
-
Call
1-877-322-8228
-
Annual
Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
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