KFOR.com’s Sarah Stuart interviewed Cristy Cash, Director of Counseling and Senior Certified Consumer Credit Counselor at CCCSOK.org following the accidental release of the Oklahoma County Employees’ information by the county. For several hours, all county employee personal information including social security number and date of birth were posted on the Oklahoma County website. Watch the KFOR story here.
Events like this are a reminder to all Oklahomans to be aware of the potential for identity theft. CCCSOK.org is here with helpful guidance to help protect you:
Q. How do you know if you have been a victim of identity theft?
A. You may see unexplained bank charges, credit lines on your credit report that don’t belong to you, and may receive debt collection calls regarding accounts that aren’t yours. Any activity that seems someone is using your information as their own should indicate a problem to you.
Q. If you know your information has been compromised, what do you do?
A. First, place a fraud alert by phone with one of the major credit bureau reporting agencies. You’ll need to provide proof of your identity. Next, order a copy of your credit report periodically from annualcreditreport.com to monitor activity. If your credit cards or checks have been stolen, contact your creditors, bank or credit union right away to report it.
Q. What do you do if you become a victim of identity theft?
A. File a police report with your local police department and dispute any credit lines on your credit report that are not yours. Seek legal help if necessary.
For more information on identity theft, visit ftc.gov and http://www.protectyouridnow.org/
