Full Notification

Citizens,

As part of National Crime Prevention Month, I would like to provide you with some information and resources on Identity Fraud in order to build awareness about this growing problem and help you avoid becoming a victim:

Did You Know:

*Georgia had the 7th highest ID Theft victimization rate (97.2 per 100,000 population) in the U.S. last year? (FTC.gov)
*25% of ID Theft cases reported in Georgia last year were related to Government Document/Benfit Fraud - the illegal use of another's identity to apply for and obtain tax rebates, social security checks, government retirement checks, etc.?
*The most affected age groups in Georgia were 20-29 (26%) and 30-39 (23%)?
*"Dumpster diving" continues to be a common method thieves use to obtain your identity information?
*A large number of all online ID fraud originates in foreign countries, which makes prosecution virtually impossible?
*It could take YEARS to get one incident of ID Theft cleared up in some cases?

There is a lot you can do to prevent becoming a victim of ID Theft and I would like to direct you to two of my favorite online resources on this subject to learn more:

1. Federal Trade Commission - "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft" website (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/index.html). Offers an abundance of information on how thieves access identity information, how to prevent victimization, and what to do if you become a victim.

2. IDSafety.org - A partnership between the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Bank of America, this website also contains background and prevention information as well as a survey and downloadable resources.

If you have specific questions or concerns about ID Theft, please feel free to contact me or any member of the Tyrone Police Department and ALWAYS call the police immediately if you believe your personal or financial information has been compromised.

Have a safe week!