RVingAndMore.com

It takes but one dropped piece of paper in the wrong hands to change a life. A misplaced receipt, a bank statement that falls out of the RV door unnoticed, a credit card statement or even a medical statement. Sometimes it takes less than that and you don’t know it happens.

Several years ago in a temporary low situation I went into the food stamp office in Illinois to get a short term food stamp card. When the information was taken and, per regulations, traced it came up with income reported two hours away under the name Martinez. It was my number, but nothing else. A fast trip to the police department meant a report and a call to the police in the other town. They were set to pay a little visit to the address given in the information bounced back from the state of Illinois. Many people aren’t so ‘lucky.’

Identity theft is a crime detected after it happens. There have been cases of people using someone else’s information for surgery and medications and only when the bill isn’t paid does anyone catch on that it isn’t the real person. In some ways those with bad credit that can’t get approved are more protected as even if someone gets the information using it is denied.

Did you know there are over 240 valid forms of driver licenses in the USA? Spotting a fake with so many is hard for an ordinary citizen to do. If someone uses your identity to get a fake identification there could be more doors opened once the fake ID is convincingly in place.

Buy and use a paper shredder or burn all papers regularly. This includes old bills, junk mail and old files. Those “pre-approved” offers, if you have good credit to actually get one, is handing money to a thief as many people do not tear them up but simply toss the whole envelope in the trash. Further there are many who don’t reconcile the bank statements every month so can miss small signs leading up to a major charge. You might not see that $8 and $12 charge on your card, so it goes unnoticed. When the big charge for $400 or more comes that overdraws your account, and you have insufficient funds charges on top of that, it is noticed.

By using a bank card, social security number or credit card identity theft can cost thousands of dollars. Often criminals don’t have to break in – people hand them the information. They’ll search dumpsters, pretend to be a bank or reputable company to get you to ‘verify’ financial information or simply use a change of address form to reroute the statements. If a bill doesn’t show up don’t assume it was just misplaced – pay attention closely to that account. This can also be true of cell phone statements for RV owners – allowing the wrong people to get service or equipment.

Many insurance companies offer identity theft insurance now. The Federal Trade Commission and local authorities can take reports on identity theft. It’s important also to contact the Social Security Administration for a replacement card if your card was lost or stolen.

Keep your paperwork safe. Use a shredder or in areas that allow campfires burn unwanted papers thoroughly leaving nothing useful for a thief to use. Don’t take the chance on a throwaway piece of paper costing you tens of thousands of dollars.

Sometimes all they want is an ID for a job, but don’t take chances. Protect your information.