National problem of identity theft rears its head in city of Saratoga

By Rebecca Ray

In May, a Saratoga resident received a letter from a bank saying that her application for a credit card had been denied. Problem was, she had never filed an application for the card.

The Saratogan called her bank to see if the letter was sent by mistake. She learned that an unknown person in Chino Hills had tried to use her name and Social Security number to acquire a credit card in her name. The credit card company had denied the suspect's application because the applicant had given the wrong birth date.

This case is an example of identity theft, one of the fastest-growing crimes in the nation, according to deputy Robert Bosworth of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office. Since 1997, identity theft in the United States has increased 1,400 percent. One in three Americans will fall victim to the crime, Bosworth said.

Identity thieves look for valuable pieces of information that belong to someone else, such as credit card, social security and driver's license numbers. They steal information by rummaging through trash, buying personal information from online brokers, and acquiring data that online consumers share through phone listings, directories and memberships, Bosworth said. He added that people steal identities when they have access to personnel records at their workplaces, and when they have direct, legitimate access to certain residences because they babysit or do housework there.

Identity thieves then use the information to open accounts; get loans, jobs and cash advances; set up phone service; and defraud insurance companies. They may even rent apartments or buy cars, Bosworth said.

According to Rita Elliott, customer service manager at Downey Savings, an identity thief can use another person's Social Security number to obtain a fake birth certificate. Next, the thief can use the fake birth certificate to obtain a driver's license. He or she can then present the driver's license to bank officials and use the license to open a new account. To safeguard against identity theft, Downey Savings requires a person to present two forms of identification before opening an account, Elliott said.

Usually, months pass before people know they've been victimized. They usually learn when they receive collection letters or are turned down for loans because of negative credit ratings, Bosworth said. According to the California Public Interest Research Group and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, the average identity theft victim spends about 175 hours over two years trying to straighten out finances.

To prevent identity theft, Bosworth suggests that people refrain from carrying Social Security and personal identification numbers. He also suggests they stop leaving outgoing mail in their mailboxes, writing driver's license and Social Security numbers on checks, giving personal information over the phone, listing their phone numbers and using professional titles. In addition, Bosworth suggests shredding every document thrown away, reviewing all monthly and yearly financial statements carefully, and having new checks mailed to banks, not homes.

Once a person falls victim to identity theft, Bosworth said, he or she should first contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The victim should contact them to report the theft and request copies of credit reports and a "fraud alert." When the victim requests a "fraud alert," he or she will be contacted before any new accounts are opened or any existing accounts are changed.

A victim should contact the fraud departments of all his or her creditors, which include credit card issuers, phone companies, utilities, banks and lenders. He or she should then file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Office, which deals with identity theft frequently. The victim should contact the nearest Social Security administration office to report the use of a Social Security number, and a local law enforcement agency to file a report, Bosworth said.

Bosworth's information on identity theft appears on the Westside Substation's website, www.santaclarasheriffwest.org. In addition, Bosworth has listed phone numbers for Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, as well as other web addresses with more information, on the substation's site.

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