It's been a big spring for identity exposure.
In April, the Texas comptroller's office said the names and personal information of 2.5 million teachers and other state employees had been sitting on a server available to the public -- some for more than a year.Then came Sony in May saying that some 77 million of its customers' names, addresses, e-mail addresses, birth dates, login information and possibly credit card numbers were stolen in one of the largest Internet break-ins ever reported.This month, Citigroup said hackers stole information, including account numbers, for 360,000 credit card accounts. And the IRS said it discovered about 250,000 cases where a legitimate filer's refund went to an identity thief who filed earlier, or the legitimate filer was fined for not paying enough taxes because someone else was using his or her Social Security number at work.Fortunately for Texans, there is free help for both victims of identity theft and those of us who want to have our identities monitored.If you have suffered identity theft, you can go to the Victims Initiative for Counseling, Advocacy and Restoration of the Southwest, part of Austin-based Texas Legal Services.The group has seen a significant increase in callers in the past six months, said Paula Pierce, managing attorney of the nonprofit organization.The group offers a free tool kit and assistance for victims on is website, www.IDVictim.org, and by mail for anyone calling its toll-free number, 888-343-4414, Pierce said. The organization also offers investigative help for Texans with extensive or difficult cases."Most people are able to reclaim their identity using the tool kit, but it's not easy and it takes months," Pierce said. "You have to be tenacious."For those who should be monitoring their identity -- which after recent breaches means most Americans -- you can self-monitor, if you have the resolve to do it every month, Pierce said."You can do it yourself," she said. "Existing account fraud will show up on your credit card and bank statements; new activity fraud will show up on your credit report."If you don't have the time or motivation to be in charge of monitoring your identity, however, consider signing up for a free service to do it for you.Recently, several free online services have popped up to help.One is AllClear, an Austin-based monitoring service by Debix, a data security company used by corporations and government agencies, including Sony during its recent breach, said Bo Holland, the company's chief executive officer."I don't believe the consumer should have to pay for recovery of ID theft," he said. "I believe it's the responsibility of the company that makes the mistake."Holland said his company's primary business is with corporations, and that costs for monitoring and repairing identities have come down enough to offer a basic service free to consumers. Individuals who want more protection with Debix, including a $1 million ID theft insurance policy, can pay $9.95 a month.Since Debix announced its free identity monitoring service in April, it has signed up several hundred thousand consumers, Holland said. News sources like The New York Times and the Today Show have featured the offer.The service monitors identities through Internet surveillance of thousands of databases, including peer-to-peer networks where data is traded by ID thieves, Holland said. It also reports data breach attacks from companies instantly to consumers who sign up."Consumers are the last to find out their information has been stolen," Holland said. "Using our company partnerships, we let consumers know immediately and what they need to do about it."AllClear also offers a free ID repair service when consumers find their identity has been stolen, Holland said.Signing up for the service is easy. You only need your full name, address, e-mail address and birthday. If you want more protection, you may add your Social Security number, but Holland said research has shown him that consumers are wary of giving that number for a free service. Most surveillance can be done without the Social Security number, he added.Once you've signed up, Holland said his company will monitor your identity. If it sees any of your information pop up on the Internet in the wrong place, you are notified via e-mail and offered suggestions on how to fix the problem. The service has no expiration.Holland recommends consumers sign up their children as well."We researched it and found that checking on your kid's identity is more important than checking your own," he said.Children have a 10 percent chance of getting their identity stolen, while adults only have only a 1-1 1/2 percent chance, he said.Historically, people stealing a child's identity were relatives and close friends -- but not anymore, Holland said."Organized criminals have figured it out," he said. "They can build a credit report using a kid's Social Security number and put another name and birth date. They have plenty of time to use the credit, and nobody's watching."Holland said he has seen thieves take the identity of children as young as 5. One 17-year-old client had $725,000 in debt.Debix also is offering its ChildScan product free to families. This service will scan the child's Social Security number and report on what it finds. You can find this offer at FreeChildScan.AllClearID.com. The free monitoring service can be found at www.AllClearID.com.A similar no-cost service is available by Trusted ID, a company based in Redwood City, Calif., at www.TrustedID.com. This company does require your Social Security number, however, and you have to sign up using login information. In addition to monitoring your identity on the Internet, this service includes a free credit score, Facebook privacy monitoring and a $50,000 service warranty.An easy way to check your ID risk is to run your name and address through an ID threat score for free at www.MyIDScore.com.Few Americans haven't been exposed in recent months, especially with this year's top data breaches. So take a moment and get your ID secured.Teresa McUsic's column appears Fridays.Protecting your identity
Free services. Online companies offer ID monitoring for free, including Austin-based Debix at www.AllClearID.com. Trusted ID provides IDSafe at www.TrustedID.com/IDSafe.
Check your credit report. You can get your credit report for free once a year at www.AnnualCreditReport.com; order a report from one credit bureau every four months to monitor for ID theft. Look for any accounts you don't recognize -- some may use a different address -- and contact the creditor immediately.
Check data breaches at www.idtheftcenter.org. See if you have done business with these companies.
Use a fraud alert. Fraud alerts request that the company issuing credit contact you before doing so. They are free and can be obtained by calling a credit bureau, which will place the alert on all three of your credit reports. The alert lasts up to 90 days and can be renewed every 90 days for up to three years. Contact TransUnion's fraud victim assistance line at 800-680-7289; Equifax at 800-685-1111 or Experian at 888-397-3742.
Monitor financial statements and bills. New accounts may be set up using your personal information. If you see a discrepancy, contact the company immediately. Your rights decrease over time.
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