How Internet Identity Fraud Ruined One Man's Existence
How Internet Identity Fraud Ruined One Man's Existence
"It's been a nightmare," says the 56-year-old Bowie, Maryland resident who had $987,000 charged to his debit card and accounts opened in his name linked to his bank account. Crouse's once strong credit score of 780 is gone . His financial information has been made available for all . "Even though my identity has been destroyed, they're still using it today," he says .
ID Fraud Reaches New Highs
What happened to Crouse may be a worst case situation . But identity fraud isn't unusual . Crouse is one of more than 11 million adults one in 20 US citizens who were victims of identity fraud in 2009. According to a recent analysis by Javelin Strategy and Research, the cost was a astounding $54 billion, making identity fraud one of the accelerated growing crimes in the nation .
Similar to millions of Americans, Crouse loved to bank and shop on the internet. Using a WiFi connection at home, he auctioned on eBay.com, downloaded records from a music website and used his debit card like a credit card.
Crouse thought he understood how to protect his online privacy . He installed virus protection software and kept it updated . He transferred important financial particulars to a backup drive and never wrote down his banking password. Crouse also shredded his fiscal paperwork. "You think you're safe," he states. "You think you are protected."
During February of 2009, his bank account began showing a negative balance. Crouse began noticing little unfamiliar charges on his statements. Soon they grew to thousands of dollars. "I was going to the bank every day and looking at all the charges," he recalls .
When Crouse opened an account at another bank, the very next day both accounts were debited $1,100. Lots of the charges were for online purchases or from Web gambling sites. Third party bills appeared from Dell, Exxon, T-Mobile, Sprint, AOL and Best Buy. A few were for merchandise shipped to out of state addresses.
In the spring of 2010, Crouse was surprised when he received a call from an Ohio police detective who told him that his credit card details had been found in the trunk of a car during a drug and firearms arrest.
Today , he has a pile of bills one foot high for purchases that he never made. "I will never be able to make a big purchase like a car or a house again," he exaplains.
If your credit card is stolen , a call to your card company to get a new one issued will sometimes limit your liability . But if your identity is stolen , there's no quick or even permanent solution.
Identity Thieves Are Focusing On Online Information
As more people similar to Dave Crouse are conducting their financial and leisure time activities online , identity crooks are targeting information that's sent over the Internet.
While shredding financial papers offers some protection against off-line identity fraud, in the online world nothing is temporary. Your data lives in hundreds of locations there.
Thieves can use a variety of hi-tech tools to hijack your information online . Malware that you unknowingly downloaded in an email file or in a song can record your keystrokes, exposing your passwords and financial information. You're also an easy victim for hackers if you connect to the wbe at public wireless zones without using a virtual private network (VPN) to conceal your information.
Dave Crouse wishes that he'd known that prior to putting his identity online. He's spent $100,000 in hopes of rectifying his monetary problems; and his retirement and savings accounts have been bled dry .
These days , Crouse lives frugally , paying cash for regular expenses and having bills automatically deducted from his checking account. "I've gone back to living like I did in the 70s," he explains.
For his 60th birthday, Crouse was eager to take a cross-country motorcycle sojourn. That desire has vanished along with his identity. As a result of his credit theft problems , Crouse lost his security clearance ; and with it, any prospect of getting high salaried work as a federal contractor. He estimates that it will take him half a decade to get out of debt. "I will probably have to work until the day I die," he says .
Dave Crouse has this warning for people who believe their personal information is secure online: "Every time you sign on, you are opening your door to someone to take your life away from you. It's like opening your wallet to strangers," he says . "And it's only one click away."
Take Action
If you believe you're the victim of Internet ID theft or identity fraud, take precautions to secure your online security . Run a full virus scan. Place a freeze on your credit with the three credit reporting agencies. Stop using any private information online.
If you're logging onto the Internet at public WiFi zones, make sure you have a virtual private network (VPN) to protect your online privacy. These groups can help you combat against identity fraud:
www.identitytheftresourcecenter.org
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft/idt07.shtm
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
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