Our internet connected community is constantly under threat of identity (ID) theft.

Disclosure of sensitive financial information, required for practically any non-cash purchase, exposes people to the risk of someone else using your information without your authorization and awareness. Equally and often more exposing are third party attempts to validate your information and/or authenticate your right to use your bank account (phishing). The latter may require your disclosure of sensitive online account access information, which, in possession of the wrong people, can devastate you financially.

Ask yourself: How can anyone, being contacted in any fashion, be it in person, via telephone, Internet, email or other means, tell whether the source that wants to gather the information is trustworthy?

Once you discover unauthorized activity and/or bank account validation attempts, immediate action is required to reduce the amount of loss and/or damage you may suffer. Your financial information is likely in possession of someone with the intent to use it without your authorization. The first essential step towards damage is probably already done. Now your swift action is needed to minimize harm for yourself and others.

Only your direct intervention with your financial institution can reliably stop unauthorized activity on your bank or other financial accounts!

If executed correctly and without delays you may only suffer little, if any, financial loss.

• Contact your financial institution to stop unauthorized checks or card payments from clearing your account.
   
  Follow your financial institution’s instructions carefully. Provide detailed information regarding any checks/card payments which cleared your account without your authorization and/or activity of third parties requesting account validation. File an affidavit of fraud with your financial institution. Discuss how to avoid clearing of any further checks created by unauthorized unknown individuals.
• File a police report and provide copies of unauthorized cleared checks as evidence which can help identify all involved parties and recover losses.
   
  Remember: Cleared checks provide a reliable paper trail and evidence that may be able to disclose the identity of all involved parties. This will help law enforcement and financial institutions to discover illegal/unauthorized activity and the party responsible for damage.

For more information regarding consumer protection please visit:   http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/index.shtml