Ten Tips To Prevent Identity Theft (NAPSA)—According to the Fed- eral Trade Commission (FTC), almost 10 million Americans were victims of identity theft last year. Surprisingly, while most cases do not result in out-of-pocket expenses for victims, it’s the work of clearing your nameafter an identity theft that causes the moststress. The fact is, undoing the damage after an identity theft can be a complicated and disruptive process. There are a lot of people to notify, including creditors, credit bureaus and law enforcement. In some cases, it can actually take months—or possibly years— before you clear your name. Fortunately, there are steps one can take to avoid becominga victim in the first place. Mark LaPenta, chief operating officer of MetLife Bank,offers thesetips: Be careful with your Social Security number. Avoid carrying your Social Security card in your wallet and don’t print the number on personalchecks. Only release your Social Security number when it’s absolutely necessary, such as when required by a government agency, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles or Social Services. If a merchant asks for your Social Security number, ask why it’s necessary and what safeguardsare in place to protect your information. Minimize the numberofcredit cards you have and only carry one or two in your wallet. Keep list of StepsTo TakeIf You BecomeA Victim Of ID Theft 1. Place a fraudalert on credit reports. 2. Review all your credit reports. 3.Close accounts you think have been tampered with or openedfraudulently. 4. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. 5. File a report with the police. SOURCE:Federal Trade Commission @ all your credit cards, bank accounts andinvestments in a safe place. Never leave envelopes containing bills and checks in places where they could be stolen. Consider mailing yourbills at the post office, rather than leaving them in secure shredders are “crosscut” because they ensure that the documents cannot be reassembled. * Carefully review financial statements each month for unauthorized use, including your credit card statements, bank statements and phone bills. Alert your creditors immediately if you notice a discrepancy. * Do a “checkup” on yourcredit history once every year. Securing this information is easy—simply visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call (877) 322-8228 to get one free credit report each year from each of the three major credit bureaus. Should you becomea victim, having professional assistance can help you makecertain thatall the appropriate steps are taken. Many Trash is a prime target for identity thieves, so shred all paperwork containing sensitive credit card companies offer protection against identity theft, so ask if yours does. In addition, a few banking institutions now offer identity theft resolution services that help guide victims through the arduous process of reclaiming their good names. MetLife Bank was one of the first banksto offer the service at no additional charge to all its depositors, whether or not the suspected identity fraud involves their bank account. The service is provided by IdentityTheft 911”, one of the nation’s foremost providers of identity theft crisis resolution, defense and education services. approved credit offers. The most www.metlifebank.com. your mailbox. * Think about computer safety—never use obvious or easily guessed passwords or PINs and always create passwords that combineletters and numbers. * Be wary of “phishing” schemes. Phishing is a type of fraud that usually starts as an email or pop-up designed to trick you into revealing personalfinancial details. Never reply to e-mails asking for personal details, or even click on links in e-mails that appear suspicious. information, including pre- For more information, visit
