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About Identity Theft

Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal or financial information without permission. This information can include:

  • Names and addresses
  • Credit card or Social Security numbers
  • Bank account numbers
  • Medical insurance account numbers

  • Unauthorized or suspicious transactions on your credit card and bank account statements
  • Bills for unrecognized items
  • Debt collection calls for unrecognized accounts 
  • Information on your credit report for unrecognized accounts 
  • Denials of loan applications
  • Missing mail

There are several ways that scammers can steal your identity, including in person, online, through social media, and by phone. Scammers may:

  • Steal your wallet or purse to get ID, credit, or bank cards
  • Go through your trash to retrieve bank statements or tax documents
  • Install skimmers at ATM machines, cash registers, and fuel pumps to digitally steal information from your bank card
  • Get personal information from your phone when you use public Wi-Fi
  • Use “phishing” to get information from you through fraudulent email, texts, or phone calls
  • Look through your social media accounts to find identifying information in posts or photos
  • Ask you for personal information in online quizzes and surveys

AOC employees have been targets of identity theft schemes in the past. AOC employees and contractor employees who believe they may be victims of identity theft should take the following steps:

  1. Call the companies where the fraud occurred
  2. Place a fraud alert and get credit reports from the three credit bureaus
    1. Experian
    2. TransUnion
    3. Equifax
  3. Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and get an FTC Identity Theft Report (needed for next steps)
  4. If desired, file a report with the local police department
  1. Take any additional steps needed such as:
    1. Report a misused Social Security number
    2. Stop debt collectors from trying to collect debts not owed
    3. Replace government-issued IDs
    4. Clear criminal charges
  2. Contact the relevant offices for the type of fraud. A full list is available here.
    1. Small Business Administration loans (PPP, EIDL)
    2. Social Security benefits
    3. Unemployment insurance benefits
    4. Taxes
  3. Report the incident to the AOC’s Payroll & Processing Branch in the Human Management Capital Division at PPB@aoc.gov.

  • Do not answer phone calls, texts, social media messages, or emails from numbers, emails, or people you do not know.
  • Do not share personal information like your bank account number, Social Security number, or date of birth.
  • Collect your mail every day, and place a hold on your mail when you will be on vacation or away from your home. 
  • Review credit card and bank account statements. Watch for and report unauthorized or suspicious transactions.
  • Understand how ATM skimming works and how to protect yourself.
  • Learn when it is safe to use a public Wi-Fi network.
  • Store personal information, including your Social Security card, in a safe place. Do not carry it in your wallet.

Report and Recover from Identity Theft

https://www.identitytheft.gov/
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GGDKL7TVPo