The Missouri Bar

ID Theft Focus of CBS Series

This week, The Early Show on CBS features stories of identity theft, with tips on what people can do to protect themselves. The first story in the series is devoted to the selling of personal information in online chat rooms. Read it here.

The Law in Your Life host Angela Wilson spoke with Joy Frazier at the Missouri Attorney General's Office about this growing crime. Listen to the interview on identity theft.

Below, students at Edward C. Reed High School in Nevada pulled together this informative video on identity theft for a school project. It is an excellent piece to share - especially with young people just starting out.

Convoluted Passwords No Match for ID Thieves

Security experts say that long strings of letters, numbers and punctuations marks won't keep hackers from stealing your virtual info. And sometimes consumers click on Web pages that seem legitimate, only to sign in and give their login and password to fake sites set up to collect data and use it to get into bank, retail and other accounts, a scam called "phishing." (Read more in the New York Times)

What happens if your login info falls into the hands of hackers? What if someone steals your identity? Joy Frazier with the Missouri Attorney General's Office has the details in this Law in Your Life podcast.

One way to catch hackers before they can damage your credit rating, or empty out your bank account, is to regularly check your credit report. To obtain a free copy of your credit report visit, www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228.

Biggest ID Theft Case Proceeds

Eleven people were indicted for stealing more than 40 million credit account numbers in what could be the largest identity theft case in U.S. history. Prosecutors say the accused hacked into wireless systems at Barnes & Noble, OfficeMax, T.J. Maxx and other major corporations to get the numbers. The companies say they are doing everything they can to help consumers whose numbers were stolen. (Read more from ABC News)

If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, what should you do? Who do you call? What steps can you take to be certain it does not happen in the future? Find out what you can do if you are an ID theft victim in this Law in Your Life podcast.

Your Private Data on the Auction Block

Your information is out there, and it's not Big Brother collecting it. It's data brokers, who buy, sell and trade every aspect of your life for cash. Billions of personal data files will now be held under one roof if a merger between a British company and LexisNexis goes through. (The Kansas City Star has the details)

With information floating around out there at various agencies, identity theft becomes a lot easier. What should you know about protecting your data? What should you do if you find you are a victim of identity theft? Find out in this Law in Your Life podcast.

Law in Your Life #19: Identity Theft

Identity theft is a scary prospect. How does it happen? What can you do about it? This week host Angela Wilson talks with Joy Frazier, who is with the consumer division of the Missouri Attorney General's Office, about what you can do to protect yourself and what you need to know if you believe someone has stolen your identity. (Internet Explorer users click play twice.)

Download audio to your computer. (MP3, approx 13 meg)
Note: in some browsers, the file may not begin playing until full file is downloaded.

For additional details, you can visit the Federal Trade Commission, federal site www.OnGuardOnline.gov, or the Missouri Attorney General's Office.

If you have a questionable email that might be a scam, report it or verify it at Anti-Phishing Working Group. If you do P2P file sharing for music, videos or other documents, know that services like LimeWire can be hacked, or you can inadvertently share every document on your PC - including tax returns. Find out how you can be safe while file sharing.

If you believe your identity (credit cards, SSN, etc.) report it to the three main U.S. credit bureaus:

Equifax
To request a fraud alert call: 800-525-6285
Write to: PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374
www.equifax.com

Experian:
Call: 888-397-3742
Write to: PO Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013
www.experian.com

Transunion
Call: 800-680-7289
Write to: Fraud Victim Assistance Department, PO Box 6790, Fullerton,
CA 92834
www.transunion.com

To obtain a free copy of your credit report visit,
www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228.

Download audio to your computer. (MP3, approx 13 meg)
Note: in some browsers, the file may not begin playing until full file is downloaded.

For additional details, you can visit the Federal Trade Commission, federal site www.OnGuardOnline.gov, or the Missouri Attorney General's Office.

If you have a questionable email that might be a scam, report it or verify it at Anti-Phishing Working Group. If you do P2P file sharing for music, videos or other documents, know that services like LimeWire can be hacked, or you can inadvertently share every document on your PC - including tax returns. Find out how you can be safe while file sharing.

If you believe your identity (credit cards, SSN, etc.) report it to the three main U.S. credit bureaus:

Equifax
To request a fraud alert call: 800-525-6285
Write to: PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374
www.equifax.com

Experian:
Call: 888-397-3742
Write to: PO Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013
www.experian.com

Transunion
Call: 800-680-7289
Write to: Fraud Victim Assistance Department, PO Box 6790, Fullerton,
CA 92834
www.transunion.com

To obtain a free copy of your credit report visit,
www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228.