Identity Theft

About identity theft

Perpetrators of identity theft use a range of methods to obtain key pieces of a victim’s identity, often in order to spend large amounts of the victim’s financial resources in a short period of time. Aiming to impersonate their victim (often online or in other remote transactions), perpetrators target information such as Social Security numbers, credit and debit cards, driver’s licenses and state IDs, etc.

For guidance and resources on how to protect yourself against identity theft, see below.

Reduce access to personal data

  • Keep originals of important documents (such as Social Security cards, birth certificates, and passports) in a secure place. Do not carry them with you unless necessary.
  • Do not offer personal information via phone unless you initiate contact, and know and trust the identity of the person with whom you are interacting.
  • Do not use obvious passwords or personal identification numbers, such as your birthday, to protect your online accounts.
  • Destroy old billing statements.
  • If you can monitor your accounts digitally, opt out of receiving paper statements.
  • Review your credit report(s) regularly for unsolicited activity.
  • Beware of scam promotions (like email giveaways) often created to steal your personal information.

Protect your Social Security number (SSN)

  • Do not give anyone your SSN unless it is necessary to do so (such as for tax filing, employment paperwork, or certain banking transactions). If a business asks for your SSN as a means of identification, request that they use another means.
  • If the business insists, ask them why they need your SSN, how it will be used, and how they will protect it from theft. Also consider giving your business to a service provider that does not require you to disclose your SSN.

Identity theft protection agencies

If you suspect you’ve been a victim of identity theft, contact the national and/or state agencies below, as well as all major credit bureaus, to protect against further damages.

National

Federal Trade Commission
Identity Theft Hotline

877-IDTHEFT
consumer.gov/idtheft

State

Rhode Island Attorney General
Consumer Protection Unit
401-274-4400
contactus@riag.state.ri.us

Major credit bureaus