Identity Theft Action Plan Available Online to Help Protect Personal Information

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is urging consumers to take steps that could help protect them and their personal financial information if their identity is stolen.

Identity theft represents one of America’s fastest growing crimes, but an action plan available on PCCD’s Web site can help consumers prevent their personal information from being compromised.

“Identity theft can happen anytime and anywhere, and to any person,” said PCCD Chairman Walter M. Phillips Jr. “Criminals can access your personal information – including your bank, credit and debit card information – from receipts and other items carried in a wallet or purse. We urge consumers, especially during this hectic holiday season, to visit PCCD’s Identity Theft Action Plan Web site to learn how they can better protect themselves against this crime.”

The Federal Trade Commission reported that more than 10,000 ID theft complaints were filed by Pennsylvania consumers in 2008. Of those complaints, 23 percent reported Internet/e-mail fraud as the source of identity theft, with 22 percent reported as credit card fraud.

More than 30 million Americans have been victims of identity theft in the past five years, according to the national Identity Theft Resource Center. The U.S. Department of Justice cites identity theft as the number one crime in the nation, surpassing drug trafficking.

The Web site, www.identitytheftactionplan.com, provides prevention tips on how consumers can avoid identity theft, as well as actions they can take if they suspect their identity has been compromised.

It also features a printable brochure that includes a special “tear off” checklist consumers can use to write down their credit, bank and driver license information. This checklist can be stored in a secure location, such as a lockbox, and accessed quickly should a consumer suspect their identity has been stolen.

For more information, visit www.pccd.state.pa.us or call (717) 705-0888.