Articles

Identity Theft

Stealing your name and your money

by Richard Carr, Amegy Bank

Identity fraud is digging deep into consumer's pockets - millions of dollars were lost in the past year by financial institutions across the country. The perpetrator may use a variety of tactics to drain your finances: posing as a loan officer and ordering your credit report (which lists account numbers); 'shoulder surfing' at the ATM or phone booth to get your PIN code; 'dumpster diving' in trash bins for unshredded credit applications, canceled checks or other bank records; or, until recently, notifying the Postal Service to redirect your mail to the address of choice, such as a mail drop, which allows anonymity.

It may be months before you're aware you're a victim. But when you get turned down for a mortgage on your dream house because you've got a bad credit rating and you know you've paid the bills, beware: the ID thief may have struck again.

Protecting yourself and your company against identy theft in a society that functions by the transfer of electronic information, has never been more important than it is today. Recovery is more difficult than most believe. Learn how you can better protect yourself and the assets of the company from Identity Theft.

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