Jewish World Review Nov. 1, 2007 / 20 Mar-Cheshvan 5768

Learn from a con man

By Vicki Lee Parker

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT) Here's some disturbing news: On average, only one in 700 identity thieves is caught and brought to justice.

No wonder 9.9 million Americans have had their identities stolen_there's little fear of repercussion.

Frank Abagnale Jr. knows that it's an easy crime to commit and that our personal information is easy to get. Thieves can get information from checks, public records, online transactions and even trash bins.

Abagnale knows it well. He is the master con man turned FBI security consultant whose story is told in the movie "Catch Me if You Can." By his 19th birthday, he had stolen millions of dollars worth of checks, impersonating a Pan Am pilot, doctor and prosecutor.

ID theft and check fraud have become the fastest-growing crimes in America because most law enforcement agencies don't have the resources to fight them, he said.

"The answer to the crime is education," said Abagnale, who is promoting his latest book, "Stealing Your Life: The Ultimate Identity Theft Prevention Plan." During a recent two-hour presentation, he gave examples of how easy it is for thieves to steal identities and rob you blind.

To make the point, halfway through his speech, Abagnale handed out checks that his staff had created that morning using signatures from the sign-in sheet and information from business cards guests had left at the reception desk.

He had many suggestions for protecting our identities. You probably know that you should reconcile bank statements each month and make sure shopping Web sites are secure. But there were a few suggestions that many people had not heard:

• Contact the credit bureaus and have a "deceased" alert put on the reports of family members who have died. Inform the Social Security Administration by mailing a copy of the death certificate.

• When purchasing a credit monitoring service, make sure it monitors all three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Ask them to notify you by phone, e-mail or text message as soon as a breach occurs. Some companies only send out monthly or quarterly statements. That could be too late. A good service should cost about $10 a month.

• Check for credit information on your children; 3-year-olds can have their identities stolen, too.

• If you're considering ID theft insurance, read the fine print. Many people assume that insurance companies will replace stolen funds, but most only cover expenses associated with clearing up your credit, such as days off from work or legal expenses.

• Stop giving out your Social Security number to everyone who asks for it. It is rarely required on applications and forms. Usually, only certain government agencies, bank and tax institutions, employers and motor vehicle divisions require it.

• Protect your computer with virus protection software and firewalls. If you bank online, use a separate computer for music downloads and other online purchases.

• Use a shredder that reduces paper to confetti. Paper shredded into straight or crisscross sections can be pieced together.