IACP and Bank of America Offer Tips to Protect Personal Information

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. Resolve to protect yourself from all identity crimes this year! Become more knowledgeable and remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

RESOLVE TO:

1. Complete a report immediately with your local police if your personal information is compromised. Then file an on-line complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft//

2. Choose a tax preparer as carefully as you would choose a doctor or a lawyer. For tips on what to look for, visit http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/article/0,,id=106775,00.html

3. Follow the recommendations of the United States Secret Service (USSS) if you have been the victim of credit card fraud or identity theft: http://www.secretservice.gov/criminal.shtml

4. Learn ways to protect your personal information by obtaining and viewing a DVD presented by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS): http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/dvdorder.htm

5. Fight identity criminals by monitoring and reviewing your credit report annually. You may request your free credit report online, by phone, or through the mail. Free credit reports requested online are immediately available upon authentication of identity at: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

6. Check at least weekly the IACP and Bank of America’s identity crime website for tips on how to protect your personal information: www.idsafety.org