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Identity Theft

Identity theft is a serious crime that occurs when someone else uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security Number, credit card information, driver’s license number or other identifying information without your permission.

Most of the time, this stolen information is used to obtain credit, merchandise or services in the name of the victim.  But, in addition to running up debt, an imposter might provide false identification to police, creating a criminal record or leaving outstanding arrest warrants for the person whose identity has been stolen. 

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR IDENTITY HAS BEEN STOLEN?

Even if you do everything possible to prevent criminals from stealing your identity, it can still happen to you.  Here are some common warning signs your identity has been stolen:

• Your credit report shows unknown accounts
• You are denied credit, or offered less favorable credit terms, for no apparent reason
• You receive an actual credit card you did not apply for
• You fail to receive bills or other mail (A missing bill could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address to cover his tracks or obtain additional personal information).

The Federal Trade Commission has a webpage devoted to educating consumers about protecting themselves from the crime of identity theft. It provides detailed information to help you Deter, Detect, and Defend against identity theft. While there are no guarantees about avoiding identity theft, there are steps you can take to minimize your risk and minimize the damage if a problem occurs:

Georgia's New Credit Freeze Law

View the Department's page on Phishing and Identity Theft for more resources.

• You Have the Power to Stop Identity Theft
• Don't Be an On-line Victim: How to Guard Against Internet Thieves and Electronic Scams (FDIC)
• ID Theft (FTC)
• What to do if Your Personal Information has been Compromised (FTC)
• Resolving Specific Identity Theft Problems (FTC)
• Take Charge: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft (FTC)
• Identity Theft Resource Center

See also:  The Internet Crime Complaint Center which was established as a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center.  to serve as a means to receive Internet related criminal complaints and to further research, develop, and refer the criminal complaints to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement and/or regulatory agencies for any investigation they deem to be appropriate.