Identity Theft:
Protect Yourself from this Crime-on-the-Rise
It seemed like the right thing to do. Veronica Smith, a busy, working mother of two, decided to leave her purse in the car while running into the daycare to pick up her two small children. She had missed them all day long and it just seemed easier and smarter, making more arms and hands and room available for greeting and hugging and scooping up - just what she'd been waiting nine long hours to do. During her five minutes inside the building, though, an opportunistic thief smashed her car window, stole her purse and, ultimately, her identity. The purse carried Smith's credit cards, check book, driver's license, and even her own and her children's social security cards.
The loss was devastating and frightening - as much today as it was then.
"It was terrifying to me because they not only had access to mine - and my children's - identities, they also knew where we lived," said Smith.
She did everything she knew how to do to protect herself. Smith filed a police report, contacted all of her banks and creditors, canceled her credit and debit cards and closed her checking account. Her work helped, but not enough.
Almost immediately, the thieves started bouncing Smith's checks and their debts turned over to collection agencies put her credit history and score in jeopardy. Three years later, things got even worse. Someone had created another "Veronica Smith." No one will ever know whether it was the original thief or somebody else who opened up GE Money Bank and Sam's Club accounts, and set up long distance phone service in her name, but Smith knows how hard it was to prove that it wasn't fraud on her part.
"Nothing associated with this was on my credit report for years, so I thought everything was fine, that I was safe," said Smith. "But then I suddenly had to go through an investigative process that made me feel vulnerable all over again. And, today, I still worry that it could begin all over again."
Smith's biggest frustration? Legally, she was not the victim and, as a result, became a suspect. There was nothing she could do but defend herself.
It is one of the great aggravations of identity theft. The first "victim" is inconvenienced, challenged, virtually accused and investigated and they can never really be vindicated. Because the only people who lose money or feel financial pain are the creditors, only they can pursue justice.
"You can go through years of aggravation and frustration after your identity has been stolen," said Smith. "The best thing you can do for yourself is start now and take steps to stop identity theft before it happens."
Veronica Smith is a GreenPath counselor in Michigan. She shares her story and her good advice about preventing identity theft with clients regularly. Smith's tips for victims of identity theft appear below.