Identity Theft

 Identity Theft:The United States Secret Service defines identity theft as the misuse of personal or financial identifiers in order to gain something of value and/or facilitate other criminal activity. Identity theft is a growing crime in the United States and is of great concern to the Village Of Garden City Police Department.

The Village of Garden City Police Department states prevention is one of the most important things to consider when looking at the crime of identity theft. Police Commissioner Kenneth Jackson suggests the following tips to help prevent Identity theft:

• Secure your social security number. Don’t carry your social security card in your wallet or write your number on your checks. Only give out your social security number (SSN) when absolutely necessary.
• Don’t respond to unsolicited requests for personal information (your name, birthdate, social security number, or bank account number) by phone, mail, or online.
• Collect mail promptly. Ask the post office to put your mail on hold when you are away from home. Also citizens should be vigilant of people stealing mail or courier delivered packages.
• Shred receipts, credit offers, account statements, and expired cards, to prevent “dumpster divers” from getting your personal information.
• Create complex passwords that identity thieves cannot guess easily. Change your passwords if a company that you do business with has a breach of their databases.

If you do become a victim of Identity theft there are some important steps the Village Of Garden City Police and the Federal Trade Commission, another important agency in the battle against identity theft, suggest:

• Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus and report the theft. Ask that a "fraud alert" be placed on your file and that no new credit be granted without your approval.
  • Equifax: 1.800.525.6285
  • Experian: 1.888.397.3742
  • Trans Union: 1.800.680.7289
• For any accounts that have been fraudulently accessed or opened, contact the security department of the appropriate creditor or financial institution. Close these accounts. Put passwords on any new accounts you open.
• File a report with the Garden City Police Department or the department of jurisdiction. Get the report number or a copy of the report in case the bank, Credit Card Company or others need proof of the crime later.
• Call the ID Theft Clearinghouse toll-free at 1.877.ID.THEFT (1.877.438.4338) to report the theft. Counselors will take your complaint and advise you on how to deal with the credit-related problems that could result from ID theft. The Identity Theft Hotline and the ID Theft Website (www.ftc.gov/idtheft) give you one place to report the theft to the federal government and receive helpful information.