Preventive tips are offered
By: Katie Wagner
Montgomery Township Police and the Somerset County prosecutor said identity and credit cards thefts routinely happen and will continue to happen, but people can decrease their chances of becoming victims by taking precautionary steps.
Over a three-day period this month, three Montgomery residents notified the police department of recent incidents of this nature.
One resident said an attempt was made to open several credit cards in her name. Another resident said someone succeeded in opening a credit account with Dell Financial in her name after obtaining her personal information and attempted to order $14,400 in computer equipment with the fraudulent account. A third resident complained of having $695 in merchandise purchased on his credit card account.
"It’s not new. If we’re getting an influx of them, I couldn’t tell you why," said acting police Lt. James J. Curry. "Reports of someone, who obtained information to make credit card purchases or to open a credit card account come in routinely."
To reduce the risks of identity theft, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office provides the following tips:
Do not print numbers on checks, such as Social Security number, telephone number and credit card number.
Only release personal data to agencies that require it for action you have initiated.
Never give personal data to unsolicited telephone callers or over the Internet.
Keep your telephone number unlisted.
Cancel in writing any credit cards you have not used in the last six months.
Store personal information in a more private part of your home, especially if you have roommates or employ outside help.
Request the Division of Motor Vehicles assign an alternate driver’s license number, if it currently features your Social Security number.
Ensure your pin numbers cannot be observed by anyone while you are utilizing an ATM or public telephone.
Request copies of your credit reports from one of the credit reporting agencies.
Call 888-567-8688 to remove your name from mailing lists for pre-approved credit lines.
Do not leave bills in your home mailbox for the mail carrier to pick up.
Protect your incoming mail with a locked mailbox.
When ordering new checks, pick them up at the bank instead of having them delivered to your home.
Keep important papers and cards at home until you need them.
Memorize your Social Security number, passwords and PIN numbers.
When creating passwords and PIN numbers, avoid using easily available information, like your mother’s maiden name, birth date, last four digits of your Social Security number or phone number.
Keep a complete list of all of your financial accounts in a safe place, including credit cards and bank information.
Order your Social Security earnings and benefit statement once a year to make sure your earnings are correctly recorded.
Shred important documents before throwing them away.
If you decide not to proceed with a loan or a purchase, take all unused copies of the application, paperwork and/or receipts home with you.
Lt. Curry emphasized that caution should be exercised when providing personal information through the Internet.
"People should always be aware of e-mail scams. They should keep an eye on their accounts, credit card accounts especially," Lt. Curry said.
"Some credit card companies provide purchase information close to real time on their Web sites and you can discover something within minutes," Lt. Curry said.
"The most basic thing is to keep an eye on your possessions and wallet in a supermarket or any other public place," he added.
‘"I remember when one female victim that had never made purchases on her credit card until she stayed at this hotel. Soon after using the card at the hotel, she found that more charges had been billed to her account. That kind of thing happens all the time," Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest said.
"These kinds of problems come in spurts in different parts of the state and different parts of the country," Mr. Forrest added. "Obviously, police departments are always involved in taking reports of various forms of identity theft. When it becomes of greater magnitude, we step in. Most often investigations go beyond the county prosecutor’s office."
The prosecutor’s office recommends reporting identity theft incidents to the local police department immediately and obtaining a copy of the police report.
For credit card thefts, the prosecutor’s office suggests notifying the credit card company by telephone as soon as possible and following up with written notification, including the police report. In addition, victims should notify the local field office of the U.S. Secret Service.
"As long as you report a credit card theft to your credit card company, most of the time, the credit card companies will pick up the bill," Lt. Curry said.

