Has your Social Security number been too social?
Bryan Williams bought a new Toyota car in Memphis, Tenn., back in November of 2000.
It's been more than three years and Williams has yet to tinker with all the new contraptions, push all of the shiny buttons, see how fast it will go or even get a whiff of the fresh-off-the-assembly-line, plush interior.
Stranger yet, Williams, a 26-year resident of Logan, said Tennessee is one of the few states he has never traveled to.
The car was bought, despite all. A credit report he requested early last year clearly shows it. The answer: A simple case of identity theft.
Or at least simple is what it seems considering the Federal Trade Commission reported that about 9.9 million people in the nation fell victim to the crime in 2002, according to the Buffalo News.
And rising.
Identity theft occurs when someone uses a person's name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information, without permission to commit fraud or other crimes, according to the Federal Trade Commission's Web site.
How this happens is a mystery to most, including Williams. After all, he made it a habit more than seven years ago to shred -- criss-cross, confetti style -- everything that had personal information on it before it left his house. This made the realization, 2 1/2 years after the fraudulent car loan had scarred his credit report, even harder to grasp.
While attempting to refinance his home Williams heard those dreaded words, "Bad credit." Words that, while short and simple, tend to cause long, painful headaches, creased foreheads, raised eyebrows and a mouth the shape of a rotated crescent moon – all at the same time.
Especially for Williams when he refuted the words and was told all he could do was wait.
Williams had proof of his longtime residency in Logan and 38-year employment with the federal government, but Equifax, one of the top three credit reporting companies, didn't seem to be interested. It conducted an investigation of its own.
During his wait, which for Williams seemed to press endlessly over the 30 days Equifax promised, he did a little digging.
A quick online search revealed 265 Bryan Williams living in the Memphis area. Not one, however, with the address listed on his credit report. But the search didn't stop there.
"I found aerial view photos of the guy's house in 15 minutes," Williams said, referring to the mysterious address.
All of this was convincing enough for Williams. He knew he hadn't purchased the car.
Still there was nothing he could do until Equifax reported their findings. Williams continued to wait. By September 2003, Equifax merely cleared his credit report of the discrepancies – a faulty address, a $22,000 car loan and a bad birthday. But it never provided him with answers.
All he can assume is that a thief used his Social Security number to open a new account, obtain a loan and go shopping. The car was repossessed involuntarily in February of 2003 when payments weren't made. Equifax is tight lipped about how his Social Security number was obtained, Williams said.
"I'm never going to find out," Williams said. "The reporting agencies are in service for themselves. It's like going through a used-car salesman, they try to sell you everything in the book."
The clearance of his account leaves him with no recourse because now there's no proof that a crime was committed. The problem appears now to be like a rabbit in a magician's hat -- gone.
On paper at least.
It is still something, however, that haunts him daily. He was left with putting fraud alerts on his accounts with the three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This alert "requests creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts," according to the Federal Trade Commission's Web site.
He also put a year's credit history watch on his Equifax account.
"When I get an email from Equifax saying there's been a change (on my account), I get a knot in my stomach," Williams said.
"Identity theft is a serious crime," according to the Federal Trade Commission's Web site. "People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years – and their hard-earned money – cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, be refused loans, education, housing or cars or even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit."
While the $22,000 mark-up on Williams's credit report didn't jeopardize his personal life or get him arrested, it still put some tension on getting a home loan, the loan which first alerted him to the sticky problem.
"It cost me pains of sleep and anxiety," Williams said.
"It's a nightmare for the people that become victimized," said Detective Jim Williamson of the Logan Police Department.
As for the victimizers, they are as slick as ice.
"Some of them are tough to catch up with," Detective Williamson said.
The department, he said, has been chasing one particular "gal" for a couple of years now, and each time they come within arm's length of catching her, their arms somehow shorten.
"(Identity theft) is becoming a major problem," Detective Williamson said. "There are so many places people can get information, and I don't want to give the amateurs any ideas by listing them in the newspaper."
But there are a few things he will list.
Don't leave a purse or wallet in the car. Don't put outgoing mail in your home mailbox -- the red flag alerting thieves. Don't order checks and have them sent to your home. Don't give out personal information over the phone, if people have a legitimate reason for wanting information they won't call and ask for it.
Convenience is big in the lives of busy Americans today. However, what is convenient for us is also convenient for dumpster-diving crooks, Detective Williamson said.
"You have to be the ultimate protector of your information," Williams said. "Stop thinking it will happen to the other guy."
Williams is now very cautious when it comes to personal information.
"My Social Security number doesn't go on anything anymore," Williams said.
The first thing to do in the case of identity theft, Detective Williamson said, is file a police report. Then get on the phone to Equifax, TransUnion and Experian and place fraud alerts on your accounts. Also, make sure to close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
The growing concern for consumer privacy prompted the passage of a new bill in November of 2003. It limits the flow of personal financial data and gives "consumers new tools to protect their credit and privacy by restricting the trafficking of Social Security numbers, bank account balances and even buying habits. The legislation also increases the maximum prison sentence for identity theft from three to five years,” according to Newsday.
Despite the rising numbers of identity theft cases, resolving the problem is possible.
"There is a 65 to 70 percent chance of catching up with [the thief], it just takes a lot of work and time," Detective Williamson said.
But for some, like Williams, the thief of their identity will remain at large, leaving them with nothing but a growing list of unanswered questions.
By Jamie Karras
August 16, 2004
It's been more than three years and Williams has yet to tinker with all the new contraptions, push all of the shiny buttons, see how fast it will go or even get a whiff of the fresh-off-the-assembly-line, plush interior.
Stranger yet, Williams, a 26-year resident of Logan, said Tennessee is one of the few states he has never traveled to.
The car was bought, despite all. A credit report he requested early last year clearly shows it. The answer: A simple case of identity theft.
Or at least simple is what it seems considering the Federal Trade Commission reported that about 9.9 million people in the nation fell victim to the crime in 2002, according to the Buffalo News.
And rising.
Identity theft occurs when someone uses a person's name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information, without permission to commit fraud or other crimes, according to the Federal Trade Commission's Web site.
How this happens is a mystery to most, including Williams. After all, he made it a habit more than seven years ago to shred -- criss-cross, confetti style -- everything that had personal information on it before it left his house. This made the realization, 2 1/2 years after the fraudulent car loan had scarred his credit report, even harder to grasp.
While attempting to refinance his home Williams heard those dreaded words, "Bad credit." Words that, while short and simple, tend to cause long, painful headaches, creased foreheads, raised eyebrows and a mouth the shape of a rotated crescent moon – all at the same time.
Especially for Williams when he refuted the words and was told all he could do was wait.
Williams had proof of his longtime residency in Logan and 38-year employment with the federal government, but Equifax, one of the top three credit reporting companies, didn't seem to be interested. It conducted an investigation of its own.
During his wait, which for Williams seemed to press endlessly over the 30 days Equifax promised, he did a little digging.
A quick online search revealed 265 Bryan Williams living in the Memphis area. Not one, however, with the address listed on his credit report. But the search didn't stop there.
"I found aerial view photos of the guy's house in 15 minutes," Williams said, referring to the mysterious address.
All of this was convincing enough for Williams. He knew he hadn't purchased the car.
Still there was nothing he could do until Equifax reported their findings. Williams continued to wait. By September 2003, Equifax merely cleared his credit report of the discrepancies – a faulty address, a $22,000 car loan and a bad birthday. But it never provided him with answers.
All he can assume is that a thief used his Social Security number to open a new account, obtain a loan and go shopping. The car was repossessed involuntarily in February of 2003 when payments weren't made. Equifax is tight lipped about how his Social Security number was obtained, Williams said.
"I'm never going to find out," Williams said. "The reporting agencies are in service for themselves. It's like going through a used-car salesman, they try to sell you everything in the book."
The clearance of his account leaves him with no recourse because now there's no proof that a crime was committed. The problem appears now to be like a rabbit in a magician's hat -- gone.
On paper at least.
It is still something, however, that haunts him daily. He was left with putting fraud alerts on his accounts with the three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This alert "requests creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts," according to the Federal Trade Commission's Web site.
He also put a year's credit history watch on his Equifax account.
"When I get an email from Equifax saying there's been a change (on my account), I get a knot in my stomach," Williams said.
"Identity theft is a serious crime," according to the Federal Trade Commission's Web site. "People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years – and their hard-earned money – cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, be refused loans, education, housing or cars or even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit."
While the $22,000 mark-up on Williams's credit report didn't jeopardize his personal life or get him arrested, it still put some tension on getting a home loan, the loan which first alerted him to the sticky problem.
"It cost me pains of sleep and anxiety," Williams said.
"It's a nightmare for the people that become victimized," said Detective Jim Williamson of the Logan Police Department.
As for the victimizers, they are as slick as ice.
"Some of them are tough to catch up with," Detective Williamson said.
The department, he said, has been chasing one particular "gal" for a couple of years now, and each time they come within arm's length of catching her, their arms somehow shorten.
"(Identity theft) is becoming a major problem," Detective Williamson said. "There are so many places people can get information, and I don't want to give the amateurs any ideas by listing them in the newspaper."
But there are a few things he will list.
Don't leave a purse or wallet in the car. Don't put outgoing mail in your home mailbox -- the red flag alerting thieves. Don't order checks and have them sent to your home. Don't give out personal information over the phone, if people have a legitimate reason for wanting information they won't call and ask for it.
Convenience is big in the lives of busy Americans today. However, what is convenient for us is also convenient for dumpster-diving crooks, Detective Williamson said.
"You have to be the ultimate protector of your information," Williams said. "Stop thinking it will happen to the other guy."
Williams is now very cautious when it comes to personal information.
"My Social Security number doesn't go on anything anymore," Williams said.
The first thing to do in the case of identity theft, Detective Williamson said, is file a police report. Then get on the phone to Equifax, TransUnion and Experian and place fraud alerts on your accounts. Also, make sure to close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
The growing concern for consumer privacy prompted the passage of a new bill in November of 2003. It limits the flow of personal financial data and gives "consumers new tools to protect their credit and privacy by restricting the trafficking of Social Security numbers, bank account balances and even buying habits. The legislation also increases the maximum prison sentence for identity theft from three to five years,” according to Newsday.
Despite the rising numbers of identity theft cases, resolving the problem is possible.
"There is a 65 to 70 percent chance of catching up with [the thief], it just takes a lot of work and time," Detective Williamson said.
But for some, like Williams, the thief of their identity will remain at large, leaving them with nothing but a growing list of unanswered questions.
By Jamie Karras
August 16, 2004
SHARE
Comments and questions regarding this article may be directed to the contact person listed on this page.
