Iowa Attorney General

How to Avoid Identity Theft

Code of Iowa - Identity Theft

714.16B Identity theft - civil cause of action.

715A.8 Identity theft.

715A.9 Value for purposes of identity theft.

A message from Attorney General Tom Miller:

Dear fellow Iowans,
The goal of this brochure is to help you avoid becoming a victim of "identity theft." Identity theft occurs when someone obtains important personal information, such as your Social Security number, banking or credit card account numbers, to commit fraud or theft.

Today's credit identity thieves are information seekers and they don't need to steal your wallet. They obtain bits of information by sorting through trash for discarded receipts and statements, spying for your PIN number at ATM machines or telephone booths, accessing public records, and even stealing from your mailbox.

The Consumer Protection Division of my office developed this brochure to suggest steps you can take to reduce your risk of disclosing important personal information and of becoming a victim of identity theft.

I encourage you to contact my office if we can provide any more information. Please write to the Consumer Protection Division, Hoover Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319, or call 515-281-5926.

With best wishes,
Tom Miller
Attorney General of Iowa

Identity theft crimes are on the rise causing nationwide concern. Your personal identifying information can be accessed in a variety of ways. An imposter can misuse your information to open fraudulent credit card accounts, secure deposits on cars and housing, obtain employment opportunities, create insurance benefits, and rob retirement earnings. This form of financial sabotage can devastate your credit and require endless hours of telephone and written communication to resolve. In the meantime, you may experience difficulty writing checks, obtaining loans, renting apartments, and even getting hired. While following these precautionary steps is not a guarantee, it will greatly reduce your chances of becoming the next identity theft victim.

Table of Contents

Reducing Access to Your Personal Identifying Information
Credit Cards
Passwords and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs)
Social Security Numbers
Responsible Information Handling

Reducing Access to Your Personal
Identifying Information

1. To minimize the amount of information a thief can steal, do not carry extra credit cards, your Social Security card, birth certificate, or passport in your wallet or purse, except when needed.

2. To reduce the amount of personal information that is "out there," consider the following:

Remove your name from the marketing lists of the three credit reporting bureaus -- CSC Credit Services (Equifax Regional Office), Experian (formerly TRW), and Trans Union. This will limit the number of pre-approved offers of credit that you receive in the mail. When in transit or tossed into the garbage, such solicitations are a potential target of identity thieves who use them to order credit cards in your name.

Order your credit report once a year from each of the three credit bureaus to check for inaccuracies and fraudulent use of your accounts. Monitoring your credit card statements and your credit report are the most important steps you can take to safeguard your credit identity.

Credit Bureau	Report Consumer Fraud	Request Credit Report	Get Off Mailing Lists
CSC Credit Services (Equifax Regional Office) P.O. Box 674402 Houston, TX 77267-4402	800-272-9281 and write to address at left.	800-759-5979	800-759-5979 and write to address at left.
Experian (TRW) P.O. Box 1017 Allen, TX 75013	888-397-3742 or 800-301-7195 and write to address at left.	888-397-3742 or 800-682-7654	800-353-0809 and write to: Experian (TRW) P.O. Box 919 Allen, TX 75013
Trans Union P.O. Box 390 Springfield, PA 19064	800-680-7289 and write to: Fraud Victim Asst. Div. P.O. Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92634	800-888-4213	800-680-7293 and write to: P.O. Box 97328 Jackson, MS 39738

Remove your name, home address and home telephone number from many mailing and telephone lists through the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service and Telephone Preference Service. This free service is only available for individuals and "home" addresses (not businesses). You will be removed from the Direct Marketing Association member lists for five years.

To remove your name and home address from national mailing lists, write:
Direct Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512-0643

To remove your name from telephone solicitation
lists, write:
Direct Marketing Association
Telephone Preference Service
P.O. Box 1559
Carmel, NY 10512-1559

Remove your name and address from the telephone book, reverse directories, and city directories. By eliminating your name from these sources, you can reduce access to your personal information from places like the Internet (which mainly use public information resources as a database), telemarketers, and identity thieves

To block your address, call or write:	U.S. West 925 High Street Des Moines, IA 50309 1-800-244-1111	$13 one time fee
To remove your information from the phone book ("non-listed"), call or write:	U. S. West 925 High Street Des Moines, IA 50309 1-800-244-1111	$13 one time fee and $2.50 monthly
To remove your information from the phone book and directory assistance ("non-published"), call or write:	U. S. West 925 High Street Des Moines, IA 50309 1-800-244-1111	$13 one time fee and $4 monthly
To remove your information from the city directory, call or write:	R. L. Polk Company 37001 Industrial Road Livonia, MI 48150 1-800-275-7655	Free

Iowa law allows individuals to request an "assigned" driver's license number rather than using their Social Security number. The Social Security number is the most frequently used record keeping number in the United States. The widespread use of Social Security numbers makes invasion of privacy and fraud easier to commit. Assigned driver's license numbers are only available to holders of non-commercial licenses. Persons holding a commercial driver's license (CDL) must use their Social Security number as a driver's license number. Even though you may request an assigned number, Iowa law requires you to disclose your Social Security number to the Department of Transportation when applying for an Iowa driver's license. In addition to being your driver's license number, an assigned number can be utilized in a variety of ways, thus protecting your Social Security number from unnecessary public disclosure.

Iowa law allows individuals to protect their personal information contained within driver's license records from public disclosure. (Iowa Code section 321.11) You may pick up a form to prohibit disclosure at your local driver's license station. Or, you may write to the address listed below and request that the personal information contained within your driving record be protected from public disclosure. Personal information does not include records of conviction or occurrences of accidents. Be sure to include with the request your full name as shown on your driver's license or non-driver identification card (ID), current address, social security number, Iowa driver's license number or non-driver ID card number, date of birth, and signature. Iowa law requires you to disclose and use of your full name for driver's license records.

Iowa Department of Transportation
Office of Driver Services
Park Fair Mall
100 Euclid Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50306-9204
Phone: 515-244-8725
Phone: 800-532-1121(toll-free within Iowa)

Iowa law allows individuals to protect their personal information contained within motor vehicle records from public disclosure. (Iowa Code section 321.11) Your local County Treasurer's Office can give you or mail you a form to prohibit disclosure. Or, there is a box you may check to prohibit disclosure on your Motor Vehicle Renewal Notice or on the Application for Iowa Title when you purchase a motor vehicle.

If you provide your County Treasurer with an assigned driver's license number, your Social Security number will not be printed on your motor vehicle registration receipt, which you are required to carry in your vehicle. In addition, you may consider deleting your middle name or using only your middle initial if you have a common name. Iowa law requires you to disclose your full name and Social Security number to the County Treasurer when applying for an Iowa title or a motor vehicle renewal.

Iowa law allows individuals to delete their Social Security number, middle name (you may consider using a middle initial if you have a common name) and telephone number from voter registration records. (Iowa Code section 48A.11) Your local County Auditor's Office can give you or mail you a Voter Registration Application to change the information contained within your voter registration file. Fill out the entire form and simply write "delete" in the areas you want to protect from public disclosure. This form is also available in most US West and Telecom telephone books in the government listings.