Accessibility menu
State Representative Patti Fritz
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8237
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
NEWS COLUMN
NEW LEGISLATION WILL HELP PROTECT AGAINST IDENTIFY THEFT
A relatively new crime that is making big headlines lately is identity theft. People across the country are losing money and their good credit at the hands of unscrupulous thieves who steal their information from banking receipts, credit card statements, or through deceptive phone solicitations. We recently learned the private data of thousands of veterans was stolen, including vital information such as social security numbers and addresses. A retired veteran in our community was notified he was among those at risk; the news generated a high level of anxiety, as well as questions on how to protect himself from having his good name used to obtain credit or cost him money.
This session, a bill I co-authored with Rep. Jim Davnie from Minneapolis, passed with unanimous support. As the result, individuals now have additional protection from the growing risk of identity theft.
The new legislation allows Minnesotans to put a security freeze on their credit reports, controling who gets the information. The freeze has a nominal fee of $5, and prohibits anyone from gaining access to your credit report. When you want to release your information, another $5 fee unlocks it. I am optimistic this will prove to be a valuable tool in protecting credit.
There are other steps that can be taken, as well. The number one rule when it comes to protecting yourself is to be very cautious about releasing your personal information, giving it out only in person, over the phone or online when you know for certain who you're giving it to, or if you've initiated the contact. The most critical information to protect is your social security number. Keep it in a safe place at home, not in your wallet, and use it only when required. It should never be printed with your address on your checks.
Always make sure you take your ATM receipts with you - don't leave them in the machine. In addition, shred your credit card or bank statements and other records that contain personal financial information. And, as simple as it may sound, be sure you carefully check your monthly financial statements. If something doesn't look right, contact the financial institution.
If you do financial transactions on your computer, choose passwords that aren't easy to guess and make sure you keep them in a safe place. The same is true for PIN numbers; they can't be used to hurt you if no one else knows them.
Finally, it is important to become very familiar with your credit report and your credit score. A sudden change in either could mean that someone has accessed your file and is using it for their own gain. Contact the credit bureau immediately if you notice suspicious activity or changes on your credit file.
While all this may sound unfamiliar and unnecessary, keep in mind that Minnesota is listed as one of the top 10 states in the number of identity theft crimes each year. We all need to be vigilant with regard to our credit and personal information. This new legislation provides one more mechanism to keeping our personal data safe.
News Items
- STATE REP. PATTI FRITZ PARTICIPATES IN START OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION - (Posted: Jan 9 2013 3:32PM)
- Rep. Fritz: Homeowners, Farmers Need Property Tax Relief - (Posted: 2012-05-01 00:00:00)
- Rep. Fritz: Let’s Vote on a Bonding Bill that Benefits All - (Posted: 2012-04-19 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.