Identity Theft

What is Identity Theft?

• Identity Theft involves acquiring pieces of someone’s personal information such as name, address, date of birth, social security number, and mother’s maiden name, in order to assume the individual’s identity.  This information allows the “Identity Thief” to commit many types of fraud, which include purchasing automobiles, applying for loans, credit cards, apartment rentals, and establishing phone and utility services.

Report a scam

• As you begin the process, document everyone you talk to and everything you do.

• Begin by letting Access of Louisiana FCU know if you feel that you have given any information that you now suspect might be used fraudulently, call us immediately at 337-533-1808 so that we may block your accounts.

• Please forward any suspicious emails to us at memberservice@access.coop and report the scam to the authorities.  Contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.  This is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). 

This type of e-mail is otherwise known as a “Phishing” scam. The e-mails are sent to members falsely claiming to be a legitimate company, in an attempt to obtain non-public personal information for identity theft.

• Place a fraud alert on your credit report and review your current credit reports.  Contact the toll free fraud number at any of the three credit bureaus to place the alert.  You only need to contact one to place on all three, as they are required to report alerts to each other.

• Equifax – 1-800-525-6285
• Experian – 1-888-397-3742
• TransUnion – 1-800-680-7289

There are two types of fraud alerts:  an initial alert, and an extended alert.

An initial alert stays on your credit report for 90 days.  You may ask that an initial fraud alert be placed on your credit report if you suspect you have been, or are about to be, a victim of identity theft.

An extended alert stays on your credit report for seven years.  You can have an extended alert placed on your credit report if you’ve been a victim of identity theft and you provide the credit bureau with an “identity theft report”.  When a business sees the alert on your report, they must verify your identity before issuing the new credit.  Remember to keep all contact information in your alerts current so that you can be reached for verification.

• Close the accounts that you know have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.  Call and speak with someone in the fraud department of each company.  Follow up in writing, and include copies (NOT originals) of supporting documents.  It is important to notify credit card companies and financial institutions in writing.  Send your letters certified mail with a return receipt requested.  Keep a file of all correspondence.

• Notify police and government authorities:

• FTC Identity Theft 1-877-438-4338
• Social Security Fraud Hot Line – 1-800-269-0271
• U.S. Postal Inspectors 1-800-372-8347 (if mail fraud is involved)

• Review your credit report.  The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the three major nationwide consumer-reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months.
• To order your free annual report from one or all of the national consumer reporting companies:

Visit: www.annualcreditreport.com

Call toll-free: 1-877-322-8228

Print out the Annual Credit Report Request from the above website and mail to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348

• Never give out personal information or financial information over the phone or in an email.
• Beware of phone calls from people pretending to be from your credit union, insurance company or doctor’s office asking for your information.
• Never keep your debit or ATM PIN number in your purse or wallet.
• Don’t carry your social security number card unless absolutely necessary, memorize the number instead.
• Carry only credit cards absolutely needed at any given time.
• Shred, don’t throw away, bank statements and any other financial documentation.
• Limit what goes in and out of your mail box.  Sign up for eStatements, Home Banking and call our Audio Response system.
• Drop off check payments at the post office instead of sending out in your mailbox with a red flag.
• Before going on vacation, place a vacation hold on your mail free of charge at usps.com or by calling 800-275-8777.
• Enhance your home computer security.  (ie:firewalls, anti-virus protection)
• Don’t store personal information in your glove compartment or car.