Identity theft still an issue even after holiday season

A local identity theft consultant is warning that although the holiday shopping season is over, the public still needs to be wary of the problem.
Johnny Thomas, who provides free workshops about ways to avoid being victimized by identity thieves, said that according to the Federal Trade Commission, more than 12 million people were identity theft victims in 2012,
He said he is encouraging people to file tax returns early, before an identity thief can illegally receive their refunds. Thomas said tax refund identity theft fraud is increasing each year.
“There is more money in identity theft than in the drug trafficking trade worldwide,” he said. A big reason for that is identity thieves “no longer have to confront a victim.” They use computers to access personal information.
That is increasing as more data is available online, such as medical information, which could even threaten a victim’s life, Thomas said.
Thomas cites several different forms of identity theft besides opening a credit card account using someone else’s personal information.
If someone alters medical information in order to receive medical treatment, the victim could later be given a transfusion of the wrong type of blood or receive medications they are allergic to, he said.
Even children are victimized by identity thieves, Thomas said. In fact, he cites a Carnegie Mellon CyLab study that indicates children are victimized 51 times higher than adults.
Thomas said identity thieves search for birth records, then create “an entire history complete with credit lines and credit cards.” Thomas said the young victims, and their parents, only learn they have been victimized when they grow up and apply for credit, loans, college or employment. They could be denied all of those if their identity was stolen, Thomas said.
He said identity thieves like to develop credit using the identity’s of young people because their parents do not normally check on their children’s credit ratings.
Another common identity theft is the use of a stolen or counterfeited driver’s licenses when stopped for a traffic violation. Driver’s licenses also are used to open cell phone accounts or to bail out of jail.
Thomas said people in Evangeline Parish have reported having their identities stolen in order for the thief to buy a house in the victim’s name. Another reported a thief getting the victim’s bank account information to withdraw money.
Thomas gives people attending his workshops several tips to avoid having their identities stolen. One tip people can do right away is to photocopy both sides of everything in their wallets, especially credit or debit cards, driver’s licenses and insurance cards.
He also reminds people not to leave incoming mail in their mailboxes for long, and to avoid placing outgoing mail there. “Remember, the red flag on your mailbox also alerts thieves that it is ripe for picking.” Instead, he suggests people deposit mail -- especially mail containing anything of value -- into a UPS or U.S. Postal Service drop box or at the post office.
Thomas warns people not to give personal information over the phone unless they initiate the call. Also, people should be careful about opening from a company or person they don’t recognize.