Sheriff renewing efforts to warn of identity theft

Sheriff renewing efforts
to warn of identity theft
BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer

People who commit the crime of identity theft are becoming more and more creative. And, unfortunately, technology is making it easier for them to gain access to an individual’s personal identification documents.

With that sobering news in mind, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office launched a new identity theft prevention program at the Marlboro Recreation Community Center June 21.

Audience members at the presentation in Marlboro listened to a 35-minute program that discussed how a person’s identity can be stolen and the monetary and emotional impact on the victim.

Program presenter Timothy Emmons also discussed ways to prevent and combat identity theft. Emmons, chief warrant officer in the sheriff’s office, said identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country.

According to a Meridian Institute study, an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 people will become the victims of identity theft each year.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that identity thieves stole nearly $100 million from financial institutions last year. The FTC reports that there have been more than 27 million victims of identity theft in the past five years with losses to businesses and financial institutions in the billions of dollars. Consumer victims have incurred more than $5 billion in out-of-pocket expenses as a result of this crime.

Emmons presented safety tips that included proper storage and securing of personal documents, the need to shred old financial records, and limiting the number of credit cards carried in a wallet or purse.

According to the information presented, an identity thief can obtain personal information by looking in a person’s garbage, looking through their mail or in parked vehicles. They also have been known to look in garbage bins and at a person’s place of work.

Internet theft can happen through unsolicited e-mail offers, instant messages, unattended terminals at work or public access locations and lost or stolen laptop computers.

Identity thieves have been known to pose as landlords, employers, utility agents, business or sales reps, government officials and bank employees.

Emmons cautioned people to always question the reason why someone would ask for personal identification information. The presentation also provided some tips for dealing with telephone solicitations. An offer that sounds too good to be true usually is not true, Emmons said.

"If someone asks for your personal information such as a Social Security number or your mother’s maiden name, be wary and don’t give it out," he said, noting that giving out this kind of information can make it easy for an identity thief to take a person’s identity and empty their bank account.

Stolen identification is used to deplete bank accounts, run up credit card balances, establish new accounts, gain employment, establish new identities and avoid legal action, Emmons said.

During his presentation, Emmons gave three examples of consumer complaints to the FTC.

One example concerned a Social Security number that was used to get credit in the owner’s name. The person whose Social Security number was stolen said he was subsequently turned down for jobs, credit and refinancing offers because of the theft of that number.

In another incident, an elderly couple were the victims of credit car fraud when someone applied for credit cards in their name and charged nearly $20,000. In one instance, the debt was turned over to a collection agency.

The third example involved a person who did not find out an identity thief had used his personal information to open credit card accounts until he was turned down for a mortgage because the bad accounts showed up on a credit report.

Emmons is available to speak with community groups about the topic of identity theft. Information is also available at local libraries. For more information visit www.sheriffoxley.com or call (732) 308-2976.