Identity Theft and Fraud Prevention

Identity theft occurs when someone fraudulently uses your personal information to obtain credit, take out a loan, open accounts, get identification, or otherwise use your information in an unauthorized way.

—Colorado Attorney General’s Office

Identity theft is a growing concern nowadays. It seems like every week we hear about a new data breach or a new scam. According to the Colorado Attorney General’s recently updated “Identity Theft Repair Kit,” there are four types of identity theft that are trending right now:

• Unemployment Insurance Fraud: when a thief uses your information to file an unemployment insurance claim under your name.
• Income Taxes: Someone uses your Social Security number to get a job, steal tax refunds or unemployment benefits.
• Medical ID Theft: Someone uses your name or health insurance number to get prescription drugs or file claims using your health insurance.
• Child ID Theft: Most children receive a Social Security number at birth, but it won’t be used right away for employment or in applying for credit. Thieves are taking advantage of that by using a child’s social security number and birthdate to apply for credit cards or loans.

More information about what steps to take if you become a victim of identity theft along with tips on ways to protection your information can be found in the Identity Theft Repair Kit. There is also a version in Spanish.

Here are some signs to watch for:

• You are unexpectedly denied credit.
• You find charges on your credit card that you don’t remember making.
• You suddenly stop receiving regular bank or credit card statements.
• You have issues filing your taxes with the IRS.

You can also arm yourself by staying on top of information about the latest frauds and scams. Visit Stop Fraud Colorado for details on current scams and fraud in Colorado.