Identity theft workshop opens eyes of attendees

Between 500,000 and 700,000 people yearly are identity theft victims.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Donna M. Turner was shocked to learn that anyone could fill out a card at the post office and have her mail sent to another address -- without her permission.
The Youngstown woman said she'd heard of many ways people have had personal information stolen by thieves who use it to open fraudulent credit accounts, but she never dreamed they could redirect her mail. "It's very scary," she said.
Turner learned how identity theft criminals operate and ways to protect her credit during an identity theft workshop, one of several topics addressed during the 2004 Women & amp; Money seminar presented Friday by Ohio Treasurer Joseph T. Deters at Youngstown State University.
The free, daylong event featured workshops on a variety of financial topics. Identity theft, new this year, was among the most popular.
"It's the best workshop I've been to," said Rich Blevins of Ellsworth Township. One of a growing number of men attending the event, Blevins said he registered because participation qualifies him for 4 1/2 hours of continuing education credits for free. Blevins is a social worker, one of several occupations that qualify for the credits.
Precautions
He was stunned by what he learned about identity theft.
"You shouldn't have your name, address and phone number on your checks. You should use only your initials. And you shouldn't have your Social Security number on your driver's license," he said. "You shouldn't carry your Social Security card in your wallet."
All of those common practices increase a person's risk of being a victim. Leaving mail in an open or easily accessible mailbox also puts a person at risk for identity theft, he said.
Criminals can even glean enough personal information from household trash, especially discarded applications for credit cards, to steal a person's identity and ruin his or her credit, Blevins said.
"And I didn't know this," he added, "but once you put your trash out, it's open to the public. Anybody can pick it up and you can't do anything about it."
Mike Goetz, a retired undercover police officer and the state treasurer's regional representative for northwest Ohio, conducted the identity theft workshop. He said that he used to find out everything there was to know about a person by shifting through trash placed at the curb.
Nothing that contains personal information should be discarded before it is shredded, Goetz said.
Serious problem
Between 500,000 and 700,000 people a year nationwide become identity theft victims, he said. Most don't even realize that their identity has been stolen until a year or so later, when creditors try collecting on unpaid bills.
By that time, the victim is usually several thousand dollars in debt. The average loss per victim is $36,000, Goetz said.
"People don't understand how serious the problem is," he said. Most victims, he added, are 50 and older and have good credit. Once their identities are stolen, it can take years to re-establish a good credit rating.
In addition to closely guarding personal information, Goetz said consumers should routinely obtain copies of their credit and Social Security reports and check them for suspicious activity.
Consumers also must be less willing to share personal information. Very few businesses can demand Social Security numbers, he said, and most of those that can, such as banks and brokerage firms, need them for tax reporting purposes.
Department stores that ask for Social Security numbers on credit applications don't really need them. Insurance companies also can use numbers other than Social Security numbers to identify policy holders, he added.
Cell phones
Similarly, consumers should guard against discussing personal information while talking on cell phones, cordless phones or in rooms where baby monitors are present.
Inexpensive scanners readily available at electronics stores can pick up almost all of those conversations, Goetz said.
More than 440 people attended the seminar. This is the fourth year the university hosted the event, which targets women in Mahoning and five surrounding counties. This is program's fifth year, with more locations added each year. Since its inception, more than 10,000 consumers have attended.
Eleven Women & amp; Money seminars will be held throughout Ohio this year, including a seminar at the University of Akron on June 21 and one at Cleveland State University on July 12. For more information, log on to www.ohiowomenandmoney.org.
kubik@vindy.com