Phishing is an attempt by an identity thief to obtain private account numbers or other personal identifying information over the Internet. The thief engineers an official-looking e-mail purporting to be from a financial institution, credit card company, or other entity holding sensitive personal information. These fraudulent e-mails ask the receiving consumers to provide or confirm personal data, such as account numbers, social security numbers, dates of birth, and other sensitive data. NEVER reply to such an e-mail.
Byrnes Kirkwood - Red Bank, New Jersey
Every day, thousands of people are victimized by computer hackers, spam e-mails, and Internet phishing scams. These cyber criminals are responsible for untold suffering and financial loss.
If you have been the victim of identity theft, the experienced attorneys at Byrnes Kirkwood can help. Contact our law office in Red Bank, New Jersey to learn more about how we can help you.
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Have you been the victim of identity theft? Call Byrnes Kirkwood at 732-219-7711. Our partners, Sean F. Byrnes and Christopher Kirkwood, have more than 40 years of combined legal experience.
We are passionate advocates for the victims of identity theft. Contact Byrnes Kirkwood today to speak with an attorney who will fight for you.
Tips for Victims of Identity Theft
Sometimes even people who take careful precautions to guard their private information from identity theft are victimized through no fault of their own. Important personal data is stolen by dishonest employees or contractors from banks, insurance companies, government agencies, medical providers, and other third parties maintaining private information of customers and clients. Laptops containing such data are lost or stolen with surprising frequency. Commercial or government databases may be compromised. Once personal identifying information is stolen, it may be sold in batches on the black market to other identity thieves. If you have been the victim of identity theft through these or other methods, an attorney with knowledge of consumer protection law at Byrnes Kirkwood, Attorneys at Law in Red Bank, New Jersey, can advise you about possible legal remedies.
Discovery of the Crime
Sometimes months or years pass before the identity theft victim discovers his or her personal identifying information, such as drivers license number, Social Security number, passport number, date of birth, account numbers, or other important data has been stolen and used by an imposter. The victim may notice charges to or withdrawals from an account he or she did not make. Refusal of a credit application may tip off the wronged party that someone has fraudulently used the victim’s identity to apply for credit or make charged purchases. Credit reports may reflect financial and credit activity that the victim never undertook. In extreme situations, an identity theft victim may face arrest and prosecution for a crime he or she did not commit, but that someone perpetrated in the wronged party’s name.
Take Immediate Action
Once you discover the misuse of your identity, start keeping a log to record the details of all steps you take to uncover and correct the problem, and keep copies of all relevant documents. Unfortunately, it can sometimes take many hours - even weeks or months - to undo the damage. Take care during this time to appropriately handle the stress of the situation. Victims report feeling personally violated, with normal responses ranging from fear to anger to despair.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the main US consumer protection agency. The FTC recommends four important steps:
- Place a fraud alert – Contact one of the three main credit reporting bureaus and request that a fraud alert be reflected on your credit reports. (TransUnion 800-680-7289; Experian 888-EXPERIAN; Equifax 800-525-6285.) The company you choose to contact must alert the other two. You can first place an initial alert for 90 days. Once you make a report to law enforcement, you can place an extended alert for seven years. The alert on your credit report requires businesses to verify your identity before issuing credit.
- Close accounts – Contact all financial institutions and businesses affected by the identity theft. Close accounts wrongfully used or fraudulently opened. Work with each company’s fraud department to resolve the matter.
- File a police report – Report the crime to your local police and/or to the police in the city where the crime occurred. It may also be important to report the crime to other government agencies, depending on the circumstances, such as your state Attorney General, the US Postal Service, the Social Security Administration, or your state motor vehicle department.
- File an FTC complaint – The FTC maintains an electronic identity theft clearinghouse of complaints available to domestic and international law enforcement. You can file by phone (877-IDTHEFT or TTY 866-653-4261), by mail, or online (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/filing-a-report.html).
Further Legal Action
The FTC provides more valuable information and guidance at their identity theft Web site (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft//). A lawyer familiar with identity fraud from Byrnes Kirkwood, Attorneys at Law in Red Bank, New Jersey, can advise about other important actions you can take, including the possibility of civil lawsuits.
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