Identity theft: Education is key to avoid falling prey to fastest-growing crime in U.S.

It’s the fast growing crime in the United States, and one of the best ways to protect against it is educate yourself and become more aware.

Identity theft is a broader categorization for crimes involving fraud, theft or embezzlement, or a mixture of all.

“This problem of identity theft, it might just be a two-word problem, but it’s got arms that reach out across the country,” said Mike Prusinski, vice president of public affairs for LifeLock, a company that helps protect against identity theft.

“The one that you see the most often is the ID theft,” Prusinski said. “It’s more fraud. It’s the use of the credit cards or identities to establish a false line of credit and running up the accounts.”

Enid Police Department detective Mark Pettus said the department receives the most reports concerning two types of fraud.

“The majority of reports we’re getting now is counterfeit checks and people finding out someone is using their account in another city, or state even,” he said.

A popular scam involving counterfeit checks or money orders targets those who have advertised something for sale online or in the newspaper. The amount sent as payment is much more than the price of the item, and the remainder is asked to be returned.

Other reports involve those who have discovered their accounts have been used without their knowledge or their information has been used to establish new accounts or lines of credit.

Prusinski said LifeLock has seen an increase in using the stolen identities of children to establish lines of credit or for the purpose of employment.

“Children have been the one segment we’ve seen a huge increase in,” he said. “Criminals now see children as a fresh source of credit. They get a hold of it and use it for years.”

He said these crimes often are not discovered until a child turns 18 and begins seeking credit or applies for loans.

Banking scams

When text messages and e-mails were sent to thousands in Enid during the first of the month claiming their Central National Bank accounts had been suspended for security purposes, the police department received hundreds of calls.

Pettus said only a few people, fewer than 10, gave out their personal information during the three attempts this month. Bank scams are difficult for police to investigate because they are rarely based in the EPD’s jurisdiction.

“We very seldom get a banking scam in Enid. They may target Enid, but they are very seldom based in Enid,” Pettus said. “Normally, we try to find out where it happened and forward the information to the jurisdiction where it happened.”

He said victims of a banking scam should contact their financial institution.

“First thing to do is call the police to and a get a report made,” Pettus said. “Then call a credit reporting agency and put a fraud report on your account.”

Once it happens ...

A fraud alert is a flag placed in your credit report warning potential creditors they must verify your identity before they issue credit in your name. Fraud alerts may be effective at stopping someone from opening new credit accounts in your name, but they won’t stop thieves from accessing your current accounts if your information lands in their hands.

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