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Identity Theft: Montana Code Annotated 45-6-332 states that a person commits the offense of theft of identity if the person purposely of knowingly obtains personal identifying information of another person and uses the information for any unlawful purpose, including to obtain or attempt to obtain credit, goods, services, financial information, or medical information on the name of another person without the consent of the other person.
You may ask how identity thieves obtain your personal information. The following are a few ways that you may lose your personal identifying information: ®Thieves may steal wallets and purses containing your social security card, credit cards, check books, etc. ® Thieves may steal your mail, including your credit and bank statements, pre-approved credit offers, new checks, etc. ® Scams. Obviously you can not protect yourself 100% from becoming a victim of identity theft, but there are steps you can take to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft. They are: ® Promptly remove your mail from the mailbox ® Deposit outgoing mail at mail collection boxes ® Never give personal information over the phone unless you initiated the phone call ® Shred pre-approved credit applications or other financial information ® Empty your wallet of extra credit cards and your social security card ® Order your credit report from the 3 major credit bureaus once a year to check for fraudulent activity or other discrepancies ® Never leave receipts at bank machines or gas pumps ® Memorize your social security number and all of your passwords ® Sign all credit cards upon receipt ® Be conscious of normal receipt of routine financial statements ® Report all lost or stolen checks or credit cards immediately ® Beware of mail and telephone solicitations disguised as promotions offering instant prizes or rewards designed to obtain your personal information or credit card numbers ® Use caution when disclosing checking account numbers, credit card numbers, or any other personal information unless you receive a secured authentication key from your internet service provider
If you happen to become a victim of identity theft, take the following steps: · Contact the fraud department of the 3 major credit bureaus They are: 1. Equifax---www.equifax.com To order your report, call 800-685-1111 To report fraud, call 800-525-6285 and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
2. Experian---www.experian.com To order your report, call 888-397-3742 To report fraud, call 888-397-3742 and write: P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
3. TransUnion---www.transunion.com To order your report, call 800-888-4213 To report fraud, call 800-680-7289 and write: Fraud Victim Assistance Department P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634-6790
· Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently · File a police report with your local police department or the police department in the community where the identity theft took place
For more information, contact the following agencies:
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