Office of Privacy Protection - Fact Sheet

What is personal information? Any combination of the following information can be enough for identity theft to occur:

Name  Date of Birth
Address Social Security Number
Phone Number Mother's Maiden Name
Email Address Financial Account Numbers
ATM Pin

The basics of safeguarding your information

Guard your social security number - Do not carry your Social Security card with you and do not ever use your social security number as a PIN or password. Limit the number of identification cards you carry. Many medical cards contain your Social Security number. Do not carry it with you if you do not need it.

Shred, shred, shred - Shred bills, bank statements, receipts, medical billings, credit card offers, and any other items that contain personal or financial information.

Protect your mail - If you are going to be out of town have the post office hold your mail. Place outgoing mail in an official mailbox not your own.

Never give out your personal information - Legitimate companies or agencies do not call or email asking for personal information. Never give out personal information unless you initiated the contact.

Sign up for the Do Not Call Registry - Register your home and mobile residential numbers on the Wisconsin Do Not Call Registry at no cost by visiting www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222; you must call from the phone number you wish to register.

Keep a list of all financial accounts - Keep a list of all credit card and bank account numbers, phone numbers, and expiration dates. This information as well as other sensitive documents should be kept in a safe place, such as a safe.

Stop pre-approved credit card offers - Stop pre-approved credit card offers by calling 1-888-567-8688 or visiting the Opt Out website at www.optoutprescreen.com.

Check your bills and bank statements - Look at your statements as soon as you get them to see if there are any unauthorized charges or inaccuracies. If there are, report them right away.

Pay attention to internet security - Make certain you have a firewall and updated virus and spyware protection on your computer. Check your browser security settings to make certain that they are not too low.

Use two-factor authentication if offered - Two-factor authentication is an added layer of security that combines something you have, a physical token such as a card or a code, with something you know, something memorized such as a personal identification number (PIN) or password.

Check your credit report regularly - Obtain your credit report FREE from each of the three major credit reporting agencies each year. You can get your free credit report from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion by calling 1-877-322-8228 or online at www.annualcreditreport.com.

What to do if it happens to you

Contact your bank - Let your bank know that your identity has been stolen even if the thief has not used your bank accounts or ATM/debit card. Consider closing and reopening new accounts with new numbers and obtaining a new ATM/debit card with a new PIN. In addition, you may want to ask your bank if you can place a password on your accounts.

Contact your creditors - If an identity thief has opened a new account or credit card in your name contact the creditor to close the account and explain what happened as soon as possible.

Report the theft to the police - Your local police department is required to prepare a report of identity theft even if the theft might have occurred at some other place. Be sure to obtain a copy of the report for yourself. It can be a vital tool to working through recovering from the identity theft. To report the theft, contact the Manitowoc Police Department at 920-686-6500, option #2.

Put a Fraud Alert on your credit report - A fraud alert is a notation that requires a business to take extra reasonable steps to verify a person's identity before issuing a line of credit or offering services. The fraud alert will be active for 90 days and can be renewed. You only need to contact one of the three agencies below and they will notify the other two on your behalf.

Put a Security Freeze on your credit report - A freeze is stronger than a fraud alert because it remains in place until you release it and requires that you be alerted if an account in your name is requested. The freeze must be requested by contacting each of the three credit reporting agencies directly. Unless a police report is provided, the fee is $10 for each agency. You will be given a pin number to temporarily lift the freeze in order for you or a creditor to access your credit report. There may be a $10 fee each time you need to lift the freeze.

Experian Equifax TransUnion
PO Box9701 PO Box 105069 PO Box 2000
Allen, TX 75013 Atlanta, GA 30348 Chester, PA 19022
1-888-397-3742 1-800-349-9960 1-888-909-8872
www.experian.com www.equifax.com www.transunion.com

File an identity theft complaint with the Office of Privacy Protection (OPP) - We can help you take the steps you need to resolve problems caused by identity theft. You can file an identity theft complaint by calling and requesting a complaint form at 1-800-422-7128 or obtain one online at www.privacy.wi.gov

Contact the Division of Motor Vehicles if your driver's license or ID card is stolen -

Wisconsin Department of Transportation
PO Box 7999
    Madison, WI 53707
      (608) 264-7049
www.dot.wisconsin.gov

Contact the Postal Inspector if your mail was stolen or if any identity thief used a false address - Contact the nearest Postal Inspector by calling the Postal Service at 1-877-876-2455.

If a debt collector contacts you - If a debt collector calls, explain that you are the victim of identity theft and that the bill they are trying to collect is fraudulent. Ask for the steps that need to be taken and any forms you need to fill out to prove that.

If you are accused of a crime committed in your name - Contact the arresting or citing law enforcement agency to inform them of the situation. You may be required to file a petition with the court to request and prove your innocence. Once law enforcement or a judge conclude that you were not the person who committed the crime, you will be given a Certificate of Clearance that you will need to keep with you at all times.