Identity Theft and the Elderly from Comfort Keepers Senior Care in Troy, MO

A. What is identity theft?
Identity theft is a crime that involves someone pretending to be someone else in order to steal money or get other benefits. They acquire your personal information without your knowledge and use it to commit fraud.

B. How does identity theft happen?
Identity theft and credit card fraud all start when someone gains access to your personal information. It can be as easy as someone digging through your trash, stealing your information from your purse or wallet, or listening to a conversation and writing your information down to use later. The con artist knows the questions to ask when they call your home, so beware of your conversations.

C. What to do if identity theft happens.
If you suspect that someone has been tampering with your credit or identity information, immediately contact one of the three credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on your credit report. If you have evidence of identity theft, contact your local law enforcement agency, the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft hotline at 877-438-4338, and the financial institution/credit card company.

Equifax: 800-525-6285
Experien: 888-397-3742
TransUnion: 800-680-7289

D. Steps to ensure protection:
1. Shred sensitive documents – shred all documents with personal identifying information on it. Con artists submit the change of address notice and have the information sent to their address with your name on the card.
2. Shop safely on-line – Shop on secure sites only.
3. Monitor your accounts – Check your credit reports regularly for any discrepancies.
4. Avoid Phishing – Phishing is the act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering personal information that will be used for identity theft. They usually tell you there is a problem with an account. Never click on a link in the email.
5. Don’t sign Credit Cards/Debit Cards – never sign the back of your credit and debit cards. Merchants are required to verify with a photo ID.


E. Special precautions with your Medicare Card
1. Once you have given a health care provider a copy of your Medicare card, make a copy and black out all but the last four digits for future use.
2. Don’t give out Medicare information over the telephone.
3. Be aware of door-to-door salespeople trying to offer you Medicare prescription drug coverage. No one is authorized to provide this service.
4. Do not reveal personal health or financial information to someone trying to sell prescription drug policies. They are not authorized to request personal information during marketing activities.
5. Protect your Medicare number the same way you would your credit cards and social security card.
6. Make sure the contract you are signing and providing personal information to, is from a legitimate company. Do not let yourself be pressured into signing something.

The most important safety practice you can develop is to always be aware of what is going on around you, and reduce the risks that you put yourself in. Think about the ways you may be putting yourself at risk, and develop habits to correct them. By being aware of those risks associated with identity theft, you will be able to learn to protect yourself from the con artists that want to take your identity from you.