Originally published July 29 2005
Home theft could lead to identity theft
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A home burglary can easily turn into identity theft if your mail or other important documents are missing, and in the case of identity theft, it pays to be paranoid, writes Miguel Helft in the Mercury News.
It was a garden-variety burglary: The crooks walked into our back yard through an unlocked gate, shattered a window with a brick and made off with all of my wife's jewelry, some personal papers and other items.
We filed police reports and insurance claims, got our house in order and worked to put the nasty incident behind us.
Months after the burglary, we realized we were caught in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with identity thieves.
We had taken steps to protect ourselves, but the thieves were persistent.
We often hear that identity theft is the domain of sophisticated international rings that break into the databases of big business to steal thousands of electronic records.
That's why they took the trouble to find my Social Security card, mortgage statements, checkbook and passport.
If it looks like petty thieves stole your mail or dipped into your recycling, suspect the worse.
Better yet, get a locking mailbox, never throw personal papers into your recycling without shredding them first, and keep a close eye on all your financial records.
He had my Social Security card and knew my new bank account number and exact balance.
All he had to do was claim that he had forgotten his account number, offer some additional information -- such as my Social Security number, place and date of birth -- and he could get my new account number and balance.
Five months after the burglary, Target called me saying someone at a San Bruno location had tried to get a store credit card in my name.
Seven other states have passed credit-freeze laws this year and Congress is considering a national law.
They warn that consumers with frozen credit files will not be able to get mortgages or access to instant credit.
When I applied for a new mortgage two months after the burglary, I simply lifted my credit freeze temporarily and got my loan without a hitch.
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