Identifying Identity Theft

By Nancy K. Crevier

Marilyn Place, director of Newtown Senior Center, Angela DeLeon, People’s Bank state coordinator of Connecticut TRIAD, and Officer Amity Robinson, Newtown Police Department, joined forces to present The Newtown Senior Center’s TRIAD “Spring Safe-Tea” at Newtown Senior Center in Sandy Hook March 30. A TRIAD is a coalition of business, police, senior citizens, and volunteers working to make a safer community for seniors.

More than 40 seniors from Newtown and surrounding communities listened attentively as Ms DeLeon and Officer Robinson spoke on the fastest growing crime in the United States — identity theft.

“Just like crime, everyone thinks it [identity theft] will happen to someone else, not them,” Ms DeLeon informed the group. Anyone can be a victim, with over 10 million Americans financially harmed in this manner each year, at a cost of over $53 billion.

Not only that, Ms DeLeon went on to say, “Victims will spend $1,000 and 175 hours of time to straighten out the mess if your identity is stolen.” Legal fees, phone bills, affidavits, and notary costs all add up. Reputation and credit can be destroyed in the time it takes to resolve an identity theft — anywhere from two to four years.

One of the most common ways for a thief to steal a person’s identity is by purse snatching. Medicare cards, driver’s licenses, and sales slips stuffed into a purse can tell the story of your life, said Ms DeLeon.

She urged her primarily female audience, “Don’t carry a pocketbook! Do you really need all of that stuff in there, all of the time? Wear something with pockets.” Pills, a credit card, and a small amount of cash will fit into a pocket. Listeners were given wrist key chains and small pillboxes provided by People’s Bank.

Slip your glasses onto your collar when you aren’t wearing them, she recommended, again cutting down on the need for a purse. For those who must carry a pocketbook, her advice was to carry it under the arm in the event of a purse snatching, to avoid injury.

“Do you really think a thief or drug addict trying to steal your purse cares if it is around your arm or neck? No!”

Shredding any papers with personal or financial information will stymie the efforts of “dumpster divers.” According to Officer Robinson, it is not unusual for thieves to dig through trash in the hopes of coming up with credit card numbers or other information they can use to steal identities.

“Do you know what shoulder surfing is?” Ms DeLeon asked the audience. “It’s when someone looks over your shoulder at the ATM or in a store to catch your pin number.” She suggests shielding the number from peepers by holding your hand around the entry pad.

Hotel key cards are imprinted with your credit card number and personal information. Don’t hand it in when you check out. Instead, take it home and shred it. It is just one more way for identity thieves to find out all about you.

“We’re not trying to scare you,” emphasized Ms DeLeon and Officer Robinson. “We just want you to be aware.”

Taking Precautions

There are precautions that can reduce the chance of being a victim of identity theft, they assured the crowd.

Always review credit and bank statements each month, without rushing. Look for checks out of sequence, for instance, or charges that seem unfamiliar. Call the bank right away if something appears suspicious.

Checks preprinted with your social security number, your license number, or phone number can tell a thief all about you. Only first initials and a last name should be printed on checks, and order the checks through a bank. The checks offered in backs of magazines may be inexpensive, but are made of a cheap paper that can be “washed” by savvy criminals, allowing them to rewrite the check with your original signature intact.

Officer Robinson offered this bit of advice, “Don’t sign the back of your credit card. But don’t leave it empty, either.” Instead, she said, write in “see photo ID.” It is legal, and frees you from the worry of someone stealing your signature off the back of a card.

It is the “Three G’s” that cause seniors to become victims, said Ms DeLeon. What are they? Greed, gullibility, and goodness.

“It’s not that seniors are greedy, it’s just that the chance to make a little extra money can be tempting.” Scam criminals count on this.

She went on, “You grew up in a time when you believed people,” and many in the audience nodded their heads in agreement. That’s the gullibility factor.

The last “G,” goodness, is because elderly people have a soft spot for those having a rough time. They empathize with those in need, and that can lead to trouble.

Officer Robinson has seen over and over again the problems friends and families run into when housing troubled youths.

“They [the youths] may be trying to get it together, but they often will steal checks.”

Even without proper identity, says this former bank teller, it is possible for the checks to be cashed. If a thief can forge your signature, they can make the check out to themselves. It may be months before missing checks are noticed, especially if they are taken from the back of the checkbook. Once a thief has a copy of your check, they know where you live, they know your bank, and they have a copy of your signature, a very dangerous combination.

Statements left lying around in the open are vulnerable to theft, as well, another crime Officer Robinson has encountered when trusting seniors open their homes to unstable young people.

Finally, the three women pointed out to the group of seniors, you must be in charge of your own finances. It is the only way to be aware of what is truly going on.

Over tea and cookies, Dorothy Bresson, Helen Urban, and Kay Humphries, members of the Senior Center, agreed that it had been a very good presentation.

“Very helpful,” said Ms Bresson. “The putting ‘see photo ID’ on the card was a big help.”

John Butler came from Southbury for the special program, and while he was already aware of many of the pointers, he felt it is always important to hear them over again.

Reducing fears, raising awareness, reaching out to seniors, and identifying solutions are some of the goals of a TRIAD. The “Spring Safe-Tea” appeared to do all of those, empowering the listeners as it gave insight into a serious crime.