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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   CONTACT: Heather Underwood (312) 458-3623

December 17, 2008                                                               Gerardo Cardenas     (312) 458-3609

 

LAST MINUTE ONLINE SHOPPING RUSH EXPECTED TO FIND IDENTITY THIEVES IN FULL SWING

 

AARP Provides Simple Consumer Tips to Protect Your Credit During Holiday Season

 

CHICAGO– Online shopping has become a huge hit for people looking to do their last minute holiday shopping from the comfort of their own home.  U.S. consumers are expected to spend $44 billion in online purchases during the holiday months this year, and cyber criminals are looking to the Internet for an easy way to help themselves to consumers’ pocketbooks.

 

According to a Federal Trade Commission survey, about 8.3 million Americans discovered their identities had been stolen in 2005. In Illinois, over 11,000 people fell victims to ID theft.

 

“Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country – and the holiday shopping season is prime time for identity thieves to strike,” said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois Senior State Director.  “Consumers need to take precautions to protect themselves and simple steps can go a long way in making sure that they aren’t the next victim.”

 

AARP provides the following tips to help consumers protect their credit:

• Don’t give out your credit card or bank account number over the phone, through the mail or over the Internet until you can confirm that you’re dealing with a legitimate business.
• Know who you’re dealing with and what you’re buying: in other words, confirm the online seller’s address and phone number before proceeding with the purchase; read the product’s description closely, especially the fine print, and factor in shipping and handling costs.
• Make sure it’s a safe deal: Find out if you can return the items for a full refund, and who pays the shipping costs if you return it.
• Make copies of every online transaction: print them and store them in a safe place. It’s very important that you keep a paper trail.
• Do not email your financial information, especially credit card numbers, checking account numbers and Social Security numbers.
• Store financial information in a safe place at home.
• Place a security freeze on your credit report to minimize chances an identity thief can establish credit using your name. People age 65 and over can now place a freeze on their credit reports for free.  For individuals under the age of 65, there is a $10 charge for placing the freeze. To place a freeze, contact each of the three major credit reporting bureaus separately -  Experian:( www.experian.com ), TransUnion: ( www.transunion.com ), and Equifax ( www.equifax.com ). 

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