We all now live in the information age, including criminals. Every day, crooks are getting more sophisticated in how they commit their crimes. The computer, instead of the crowbar, has become their tool of choice. In turn, police and prosecutors have to get more sophisticated about investigating and prosecuting these crimes; businesses have to be more alert to preventing and detecting them; and all of us as individuals need to be more careful so we don’t end up as victims. That’s why the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, in cooperation with AARP Minnesota (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons), is sponsoring five public programs across the state on “Crimes of the Information Age.” The next event will be on Wednesday, Sept. 24, in St. Cloud, co-hosted by Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall. In addition to the public event, there are special workshops designed for police, prosecutors and social workers to strengthen the investigation and prosecution of financial crimes, especially those that target senior citizens and the vulnerable. Identity theft is a prime example. It’s now the most widely reported consumer crime in the nation, with complaints nearly doubling in 2002 alone, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Currently we are prosecuting seven people for multiple felony counts in an identity-theft crime ring that used patients’ Social Security numbers stolen by two employees from a Twin Cities hospital and clinic. The group allegedly used the patients’ personal information to open fraudulent credit card and phone accounts, running up purchases of more than $78,000. This is a dramatic example of what has become an all-too-common crime which has an increasing impact on individuals and businesses. Identity theft occurs when a thief gets your personal information, whether it’s your Social Security number, bank account and credit card numbers on PIN numbers. The thief uses this information to open new credit accounts and go on a spending spree, wrecking havoc on your good name along the way. It can start with something as simple as a thief stealing a purse and writing bad checks. It can be as creative as a sales scam designed to elicit personal information, which allows the thief to access your finances. Identity can also be committed by company insiders, such as the employee who abuses access to customer information. Victims suffer financially and emotionally. Identity theft is really “the crime that keeps on taking” because it can take years for victims to reclaim their names and correct their credit records. Once your identity is stolen, it’s very difficult to get it back. Despite its increasing frequency, identity theft remains a very difficult crime for police to investigate and solve. Identity thieves can be anywhere – right next door, in another state or across the world. The best protection is to prevent identity theft in the first place – and to detect and report theft promptly when it does occur. Identity theft isn’t the only information-age crime to watch out for. There’s Internet fraud – do you really know who you’re buying from on the Web? And there’s old-fashioned crimes like embezzlement and investment swindles which have gone high-tech, with crooks using computers to both perpetrate and hide their law-breaking. Information-age crimes don’t respect geographic boundaries or age limits. They happen in the city, the suburbs, small towns and rural areas. Their victims are young and old. So we’re all at risk, and we all have a role in preventing and combating these crimes. __________ Tips to stay anonymous – Be alert for “shoulder surfers.” These are thieves who stand near ATMs, phones or store checkout counters to see your ED or PIN numbers. – Be careful with whom you share personal information. Unless you initiate the transaction and have good reason to trust who you are doing business with, don’t give out personal information (including credit card, Social Security or driver’s license numbers) over the telephone, through the mail or on the Internet. – Limit the number of ID cards, credit cards and checks that you carry. This will minimize the damage if your wallet is lost or stolen. Never carry your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport unless it’s necessary. – Guard your checks. Don’t leave checks in your car, even when locked. Don’t include your telephone. Social Security or driver’s license numbers, birth date or other identifying information on your checks. -Shred, shred, shred. When you’re ready to dispose of them, shred all financial documents and other records containing any personal information – including pre-approved credit card offers, credit card receipts (after reconciling your bills), checks, bank statements and medical records. – Protect your passwords. Create unique passwords and PINs. Don’t use your birth date, Social – Security number, telephone number, mother’s maiden name or any other easily-deciphered code. – Review your credit report every year. Under Minnesota law, you’re entitled to request a copy of your own credit report each year for a fee of only $3. – Monitor your accounts. Pay attention to your billing cycles and alert your creditors if bills don’t arrive on time or show unusual transactions. Cancel any credit card that you haven’t used within the last six months. Keep a list of credit card and bank account numbers with their customer service phone numbers in a safe place.
Amy Klobuchar is Hennepin County Attorney and president of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association.
