Synthetic Identity Theft: What You Need to Know

&NewLine;<p><strong>Synthetic identity theft<&sol;strong> is a type of <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;identity-theft&sol;amp&sol;" data-type&equals;"URL" data-id&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;identity-theft&sol;">identity theft<&sol;a> in which the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<div class&equals;"mh-content-ad"><script async src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;pagead2&period;googlesyndication&period;com&sol;pagead&sol;js&sol;adsbygoogle&period;js&quest;client&equals;ca-pub-9162800720558968"&NewLine; crossorigin&equals;"anonymous"><&sol;script>&NewLine;<ins class&equals;"adsbygoogle"&NewLine; style&equals;"display&colon;block&semi; text-align&colon;center&semi;"&NewLine; data-ad-layout&equals;"in-article"&NewLine; data-ad-format&equals;"fluid"&NewLine; data-ad-client&equals;"ca-pub-9162800720558968"&NewLine; data-ad-slot&equals;"1081854981"><&sol;ins>&NewLine;<script>&NewLine; &lpar;adsbygoogle &equals; window&period;adsbygoogle &vert;&vert; &lbrack;&rsqb;&rpar;&period;push&lpar;&lbrace;&rcub;&rpar;&semi;&NewLine;<&sol;script><&sol;div>&NewLine;<p>The perpetrator of <em>synthetic identity theft<&sol;em> can use this new identity to commit fraud&comma; such as opening fraudulent accounts&comma; applying for <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;loan-fraud&sol;amp&sol;" data-type&equals;"URL" data-id&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;loan-fraud&sol;">loans<&sol;a>&comma; or renting property&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is becoming increasingly common&comma; as it is more difficult to detect than traditional identity theft&period; This is because the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period;<br>There are many different types of synthetic <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;beyond-the-bin-how-dumpster-diving-for-documents-fuels-identity-theft-and-corporate-espionage&sol;amp&sol;" data-wpil-monitor-id&equals;"1357">identity theft<&sol;a>&period; <&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">10 Of Synthetic Identity Theft<&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Credit Card Fraud<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;credit-card-fraud&sol;amp&sol;" data-type&equals;"URL" data-id&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;credit-card-fraud&sol;">Credit card fraud<&sol;a> is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator uses someone else&&num;8217&semi;s credit card information to make unauthorized purchases&period; This can include using the victim&&num;8217&semi;s credit card number&comma; expiration date&comma; and CVV code to make online purchases&comma; or using the victim&&num;8217&semi;s physical credit card to make purchases in person&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">In the context of credit card fraud&comma; synthetic identity theft can be used to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Open new credit card accounts in the victim&&num;8217&semi;s name&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Make unauthorized purchases on existing credit card accounts&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Sell the victim&&num;8217&semi;s credit card information to other criminals&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Credit card fraud committed using synthetic identity theft can be difficult to detect&comma; as the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period; However&comma; there are a number of things that individuals can do to help prevent this type of fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Individuals can help to prevent credit card fraud by&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Being careful about what information they share online&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Keeping their personal information secure&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitoring their credit reports regularly&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Only using credit cards in secure environments&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Reporting any unauthorized charges to their credit card company immediately&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think you may have been a victim of credit card fraud&comma; you should contact your credit card company immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some additional tips to help you protect yourself from credit card fraud&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a fraud alert on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A fraud alert is a free service that tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account in your name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a credit freeze on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitor your credit report regularly&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Review your credit report for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Be aware of the signs of credit card fraud&colon;<&sol;strong> Some of the signs of credit card fraud include&colon;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Receiving bills for charges that you did not make&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Receiving calls from your credit card company about unauthorized charges&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Noticing that your credit card balance has increased without your knowledge&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect yourself from credit card fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Loan Fraud<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;loan-scam&sol;amp&sol;" data-type&equals;"URL" data-id&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;loan-scam&sol;">Loan fraud<&sol;a> is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator uses someone else&&num;8217&semi;s personal information to obtain a loan&period; This can include using the victim&&num;8217&semi;s name&comma; date of birth&comma; and Social Security number to apply for a <a class&equals;"wpil&lowbar;keyword&lowbar;link" href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;category&sol;loans&sol;amp&sol;" title&equals;"loan" data-wpil-keyword-link&equals;"linked" data-wpil-monitor-id&equals;"328">loan<&sol;a>&comma; or using the victim&&num;8217&semi;s credit report to qualify for a loan&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>In the context of loan fraud&comma; synthetic identity theft can be used to&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Open new loan accounts in the victim&&num;8217&semi;s name&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Take out loans in the victim&&num;8217&semi;s name without their knowledge&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Use the victim&&num;8217&semi;s credit report to qualify for loans that they would not otherwise be able to obtain&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Loan fraud committed using synthetic identity theft can be difficult to detect&comma; as the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period; However&comma; there are a number of things that individuals can do to help prevent this type of fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Individuals can help to prevent loan fraud by&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Being careful about what information they share online&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Keeping their personal information secure&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitoring their credit reports regularly&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Only applying for loans from reputable lenders&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Reporting any unauthorized inquiries or accounts to their credit bureaus immediately&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think you may have been a victim of loan fraud&comma; you should contact your credit bureaus immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Here are some additional tips to help you protect yourself from loan fraud&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a fraud alert on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A fraud alert is a free service that tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account in your name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a credit freeze on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitor your credit report regularly&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Review your credit report for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Be aware of the signs of loan fraud&colon;<&sol;strong> Some of the signs of loan fraud include&colon;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Receiving bills for loans that you did not apply for&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Receiving calls from creditors about loans that you did not apply for&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Noticing that your credit report shows loans that you did not apply for&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect yourself from loan fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Employment Fraud<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>One type of employment fraud that is becoming increasingly common is <strong>synthetic identity theft<&sol;strong>&period; In synthetic identity theft&comma; the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is often used to obtain employment&comma; but it can also be used to obtain loans&comma; credit cards&comma; and other benefits&period; It can be difficult to detect synthetic identity theft&comma; as the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">There are a number of things that employers can do to protect themselves from employment fraud&comma; including&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Performing background checks&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Employers should perform background checks on all new hires&period; This should include checking the applicant&&num;8217&semi;s Social Security number&comma; employment history&comma; and education&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Using identity verification services&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;There are a number of identity verification services available that can help employers to verify the identity of new hires&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Being aware of the signs of fraud&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Employers should be aware of the signs of employment fraud&comma; such as applicants who are unwilling to provide documentation or who have a history of employment problems&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think that you may be a victim of employment fraud&comma; you should contact the authorities immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some additional tips to help you protect yourself from employment fraud&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Be careful about what information you share online&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Do not share your Social Security number or other personal information online&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Keep your software up to date&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Software updates often include security patches that can help to protect your computer from malware&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Be wary of job postings that seem too good to be true&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;If a job posting seems too good to be true&comma; it probably is&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect yourself from employment fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Tax Fraud<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is often used to obtain employment&comma; but it can also be used to commit <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;tax-fraud&sol;amp&sol;" data-type&equals;"URL" data-id&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;tax-fraud&sol;">tax fraud<&sol;a>&period; <&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">In the context of tax fraud&comma; synthetic identity theft can be used to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>File fraudulent tax returns in the name of the synthetic identity&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Claim fraudulent tax refunds in the name of the synthetic identity&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Claim fraudulent tax credits or deductions in the name of the synthetic identity&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Tax fraud committed using synthetic identity theft can be difficult to detect&comma; as the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period; However&comma; there are a number of things that the IRS and taxpayers can do to help prevent this type of fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">The IRS has a number of programs in place to help prevent synthetic identity theft&comma; including&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>The Identity Protection PIN &lpar;IP PIN&rpar; program&colon; The IP PIN is a unique four-digit number that is assigned to taxpayers who are at risk of synthetic identity theft&period; The IP PIN is required to file a tax return electronically&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>The Identity Theft Tax Refund Protection &lpar;IPTRP&rpar; program&colon; The IPTRP program allows taxpayers who have been victims of identity theft to place a hold on their tax refund&period; This helps to prevent the perpetrator from claiming a fraudulent tax refund in the victim&&num;8217&semi;s name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Taxpayers can also help to prevent synthetic identity theft by taking the following steps&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Be careful about what information you share online&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Keep your personal information secure&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>File your tax return electronically and use the IP PIN if you are eligible&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Monitor your tax account for any unauthorized activity&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think you may have been a victim of synthetic identity theft&comma; you should contact the IRS immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some additional tips to help you protect yourself from synthetic identity theft&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Be aware of the signs of synthetic identity theft&colon;<&sol;strong> Some of the signs of synthetic identity theft include&colon;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Receiving a tax refund that you did not expect&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Receiving a letter from the IRS stating that you owe money&comma; but you do not believe that you do&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Having difficulty accessing your tax account online&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a fraud alert on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A fraud alert is a free service that tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account in your name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a credit freeze on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitor your credit report regularly&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Review your credit report for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect yourself from synthetic identity theft and the tax fraud that can be committed using this method&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Social Security Fraud<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft can be used to commit a variety of crimes&comma; including social security fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading"> In the context of social security fraud&comma; synthetic identity theft can be used to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>File fraudulent claims for Social Security benefits&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Use a stolen Social Security number to obtain employment&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Open fraudulent bank accounts and credit cards&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Social security fraud committed using synthetic identity theft can be difficult to detect&comma; as the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period; However&comma; there are a number of things that the Social Security Administration &lpar;SSA&rpar; and individuals can do to help prevent this type of fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">The SSA has a number of programs in place to help prevent synthetic identity theft&comma; including&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>The Identity Theft Benefit Protection Plan &lpar;ITBPP&rpar;&colon; The ITBPP allows individuals who have been victims of identity theft to place a hold on their Social Security benefits&period; This helps to prevent the perpetrator from using the victim&&num;8217&semi;s Social Security number to file fraudulent claims&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>The Social Security Number Verification Service &lpar;SSNVS&rpar;&colon; The SSNVS is a free service that allows individuals to verify the validity of a Social Security number&period; This can help to prevent individuals from being victims of synthetic identity theft&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Individuals can also help to prevent synthetic identity theft by taking the following steps&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Be careful about what information you share online&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Keep your personal information secure&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Monitor your credit report regularly&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Report any suspicious activity to the SSA immediately&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think you may have been a victim of synthetic identity theft&comma; you should contact the SSA immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some additional tips to help you protect yourself from synthetic identity theft&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Be aware of the signs of synthetic identity theft&colon;<&sol;strong> Some of the signs of synthetic identity theft include&colon;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Receiving a Social Security benefit that you did not expect&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Receiving a letter from the SSA stating that you owe money&comma; but you do not believe that you do&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Having difficulty accessing your Social Security account online&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a fraud alert on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A fraud alert is a free service that tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account in your name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a credit freeze on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitor your credit report regularly&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Review your credit report for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect yourself from synthetic identity theft and the social security fraud that can be committed using this method&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Medical Identity Fraud<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Medical identity fraud is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator uses someone else&&num;8217&semi;s personal information&comma; such as their name&comma; date of birth&comma; and Social Security number&comma; to obtain medical services&period; <&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">This can include using the victim&&num;8217&semi;s information to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>File fraudulent insurance claims&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Obtain prescription drugs&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Receive medical treatment&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Medical identity fraud can have a number of negative consequences for victims&comma; including&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong><a class&equals;"wpil&lowbar;keyword&lowbar;link" href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;fraudswatch&period;com&sol;tag&sol;financial-fraud&sol;amp&sol;" title&equals;"Financial" data-wpil-keyword-link&equals;"linked" data-wpil-monitor-id&equals;"1027">Financial<&sol;a> loss&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Victims may be responsible for paying for fraudulent medical services&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Damage to credit&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Victims may have their credit ruined if the perpetrator uses their information to open fraudulent accounts&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Health risks&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Victims may receive incorrect medical treatment if the perpetrator uses their information to obtain medical services&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">In the context of medical identity fraud&comma; synthetic identity theft can be used to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Create a new identity that is used to obtain medical services&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Use a stolen Social Security number to obtain medical services&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Open fraudulent medical accounts&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Medical identity fraud committed using synthetic identity theft can be difficult to detect&comma; as the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period; However&comma; there are a number of things that individuals and healthcare providers can do to help prevent this type of fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Individuals can help to prevent medical identity fraud by&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Being careful about what information they share online&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Keeping their personal information secure&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitoring their credit report regularly&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Reporting any suspicious activity to their healthcare provider immediately&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Healthcare providers can help to prevent medical identity fraud by&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Verifying the identity of patients before providing medical services&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Using fraud detection tools to identify potential cases of medical identity fraud&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Reporting any suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think you may have been a victim of medical identity fraud&comma; you should contact your healthcare provider immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some additional tips to help you protect yourself from medical identity fraud&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Be aware of the signs of medical identity fraud&colon;<&sol;strong> Some of the signs of medical identity fraud include&colon;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Receiving medical bills that you did not expect&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Receiving a letter from your healthcare provider stating that you owe money&comma; but you do not believe that you do&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Having difficulty accessing your medical records&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a fraud alert on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A fraud alert is a free service that tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account in your name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a credit freeze on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitor your credit report regularly&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Review your credit report for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect yourself from medical identity fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Child Identity Fraud<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Child identity fraud is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator uses a child&&num;8217&semi;s personal information&comma; such as their name&comma; date of birth&comma; and Social Security number&comma; to obtain benefits or services&period; <&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">This can include using the child&&num;8217&semi;s information to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Apply for government benefits&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Open fraudulent accounts&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Commit crimes&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Child identity fraud can have a number of negative consequences for victims&comma; including&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Financial loss&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Victims may be responsible for paying for fraudulent charges&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Damage to credit&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Victims may have their credit ruined if the perpetrator uses their information to open fraudulent accounts&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Legal problems&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Victims may be arrested or charged with crimes that they did not commit&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">In the context of child identity fraud&comma; synthetic identity theft can be used to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Create a new identity that is used to obtain benefits or services&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Use a stolen Social Security number to obtain benefits or services&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Open fraudulent accounts in the child&&num;8217&semi;s name&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Child identity fraud committed using synthetic identity theft can be difficult to detect&comma; as the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period; However&comma; there are a number of things that parents and guardians can do to help prevent this type of fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Parents and guardians can help to prevent child identity fraud by&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Being careful about what information they share about their children online&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Keeping their children&&num;8217&semi;s personal information secure&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitoring their children&&num;8217&semi;s credit reports regularly&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Teaching their children about identity theft and how to protect themselves&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think your child may have been a victim of child identity fraud&comma; you should contact the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar; immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to your child&&num;8217&semi;s credit bureaus&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some additional tips to help you protect your child from child identity fraud&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a fraud alert on your child&&num;8217&semi;s credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A fraud alert is a free service that tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your child&&num;8217&semi;s identity before opening a new account in their name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a credit freeze on your child&&num;8217&semi;s credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your child&&num;8217&semi;s credit report without your permission&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitor your child&&num;8217&semi;s credit report regularly&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Review your child&&num;8217&semi;s credit report for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Teach your child about identity theft and how to protect themselves&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Talk to your child about the importance of protecting their personal information and how to spot signs of identity theft&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect your child from child identity fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Elderly Identity Fraud<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Elderly identity fraud is a type of identity theft that specifically targets seniors&period; This type of fraud can be particularly devastating for seniors&comma; as they may be less likely to be aware of the risks of identity theft and may have difficulty recovering from the financial and emotional damage that it can cause&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">There are a number of reasons why elderly people are targeted by identity thieves&period; Seniors may be more likely to have&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Older Social Security numbers&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;These numbers are more likely to be recycled&comma; which means that they may be available for use by identity thieves&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Retirement savings&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Seniors may have significant retirement savings&comma; which can be a tempting target for identity thieves&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Medicare benefits&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Medicare benefits can be a valuable source of income for seniors&comma; and identity thieves may try to use them to obtain medical services or prescription drugs&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Lack of awareness&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Seniors may be less aware of the risks of identity theft and may not be as careful about protecting their personal information&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">In the context of elderly identity fraud&comma; synthetic identity theft can be used to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Create a new identity that is used to obtain benefits or services&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Use a stolen Social Security number to obtain benefits or services&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Open fraudulent accounts in the senior&&num;8217&semi;s name&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Elderly identity fraud committed using synthetic identity theft can be difficult to detect&comma; as the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period; However&comma; there are a number of things that seniors and their loved ones can do to help prevent this type of fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Seniors and their loved ones can help to prevent elderly identity fraud by&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Being careful about what information they share online&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Keeping their personal information secure&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitoring their credit reports regularly&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Teaching seniors about identity theft and how to protect themselves&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think your elderly loved one may have been a victim of elderly identity fraud&comma; you should contact the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar; immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to your loved one&&num;8217&semi;s credit bureaus&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some additional tips to help you protect your elderly loved one from elderly identity fraud&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a fraud alert on your loved one&&num;8217&semi;s credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A fraud alert is a free service that tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your loved one&&num;8217&semi;s identity before opening a new account in their name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a credit freeze on your loved one&&num;8217&semi;s credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your loved one&&num;8217&semi;s credit report without your permission&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitor your loved one&&num;8217&semi;s credit report regularly&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Review your loved one&&num;8217&semi;s credit report for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Teach your loved one about identity theft and how to protect themselves&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Talk to your loved one about the importance of protecting their personal information and how to spot signs of identity theft&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect your elderly loved one from elderly identity fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Utilities Fraud<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Utilities fraud is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator uses someone else&&num;8217&semi;s personal information&comma; such as their name&comma; date of birth&comma; and Social Security number&comma; to obtain utility services&period; <&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">This can include using the victim&&num;8217&semi;s information to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Open new utility accounts&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Skip payments on existing utility accounts&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Have utilities shut off in the victim&&num;8217&semi;s name&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Utilities fraud can have a number of negative consequences for victims&comma; including&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Financial loss&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Victims may be responsible for paying for utility services that they did not use&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Damage to credit&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Victims may have their credit ruined if the perpetrator uses their information to open fraudulent utility accounts&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Disruption of service&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Victims may have their utilities shut off&comma; which can have a significant impact on their quality of life&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is a type of identity theft in which the perpetrator creates a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">In the context of utilities fraud&comma; synthetic identity theft can be used to&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Create a new identity that is used to obtain utility services&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Use a stolen Social Security number to obtain utility services&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Open fraudulent utility accounts in the victim&&num;8217&semi;s name&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Utilities fraud committed using synthetic identity theft can be difficult to detect&comma; as the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period; However&comma; there are a number of things that consumers can do to help prevent this type of fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Consumers can help to prevent utilities fraud by&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Being careful about what information they share online&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Keeping their personal information secure&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitoring their credit reports regularly&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Contacting their utility companies immediately if they suspect that someone has opened a fraudulent account in their name&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think you may have been a victim of utilities fraud&comma; you should contact your utility companies immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some additional tips to help you protect yourself from utilities fraud&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a fraud alert on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A fraud alert is a free service that tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account in your name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a credit freeze on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitor your credit report regularly&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Review your credit report for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Be aware of the signs of utilities fraud&colon;<&sol;strong> Some of the signs of utilities fraud include&colon;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Receiving bills for utility services that you did not authorize&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Having your utilities shut off unexpectedly&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Receiving calls from utility companies about past due bills that you do not owe&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect yourself from utilities fraud&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Synthetic Identity Creation<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity creation is the process of creating a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This can include using a real Social Security number that has been stolen&comma; along with a fake name&comma; date of birth&comma; and address&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>The perpetrator of synthetic identity theft can use this new identity to commit fraud&comma; such as opening fraudulent accounts&comma; applying for loans&comma; or renting property&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Synthetic identity theft is becoming increasingly common&comma; as it is more difficult to detect than traditional identity theft&period; This is because the perpetrator may have all of the necessary documentation to appear legitimate&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some of the ways in which synthetic identity theft can be created&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Stolen Social Security numbers&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;The perpetrator may steal a real Social Security number and use it to create a new identity&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Fake Social Security numbers&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;The perpetrator may create a fake Social Security number that is not actually assigned to anyone&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Combination of real and fake information&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;The perpetrator may combine real and fake information to create a new identity&period; For example&comma; they could use a real name and date of birth&comma; but a fake address and Social Security number&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">There are a number of things that individuals can do to help prevent synthetic identity theft&comma; including&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Being careful about what information they share online&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Keeping their personal information secure&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitoring their credit reports regularly&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Being aware of the signs of synthetic identity theft&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>If you think you may have been a victim of synthetic identity theft&comma; you should contact the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar; immediately&period; You should also report the fraud to your credit bureaus&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h4 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Here are some additional tips to help you protect yourself from synthetic identity theft&colon;<&sol;h4>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a fraud alert on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A fraud alert is a free service that tells creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new account in your name&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Place a credit freeze on your credit report&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;A credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Monitor your credit report regularly&colon;<&sol;strong>&nbsp&semi;Review your credit report for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Be aware of the signs of synthetic identity theft&colon;<&sol;strong> Some of the signs of synthetic identity theft include&colon;&NewLine;<ul class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Receiving bills for accounts that you did not open&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Having your credit report show accounts that you did not open&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Receiving calls from creditors about accounts that you did not open&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ul>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>By following these tips&comma; you can help to protect yourself from synthetic identity theft&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">10 Q&amp&semi;A About Synthetic Identity Theft<&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ol class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li><strong>What is synthetic identity theft&quest;<&sol;strong> Synthetic identity theft is a type of fraud where criminals combine real and fake information to create a new&comma; fictitious identity&period; This identity is then used to open new accounts&comma; apply for credit&comma; or commit other types of fraud&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>How is synthetic identity theft different from traditional identity theft&quest;<&sol;strong> While traditional identity theft involves stealing a person&&num;8217&semi;s entire identity&comma; synthetic identity theft involves creating a new identity by combining real and fake information&period; This makes it more difficult to detect and trace back to the victim&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>What are the most common types of synthetic identity theft&quest;<&sol;strong> Credit card fraud&comma; loan fraud&comma; employment fraud&comma; tax fraud&comma; and social security fraud are some of the most common types of synthetic identity theft&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>How do criminals use synthetic identities&quest;<&sol;strong> Criminals use synthetic identities to obtain credit&comma; loans&comma; employment&comma; government benefits&comma; and more&period; They can also use these identities to avoid detection by law enforcement or to commit other types of fraud&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>What are the consequences of synthetic identity theft for victims&quest;<&sol;strong> Victims of synthetic identity theft may face financial losses&comma; damaged credit scores&comma; and difficulty obtaining credit or loans in the future&period; They may also be held responsible for fraudulent debts or be subject to legal consequences&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>How can I prevent synthetic identity theft&quest;<&sol;strong> To prevent synthetic identity theft&comma; be cautious when sharing personal information online&comma; monitor your credit reports regularly&comma; use strong passwords&comma; and be alert to signs of fraud&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>What should I do if I suspect synthetic identity theft&quest;<&sol;strong> If you suspect synthetic identity theft&comma; report it to the appropriate authorities&comma; such as your local police department&comma; the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar;&comma; and the relevant financial institutions&period; You should also place a fraud alert on your credit reports&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Can synthetic identity theft be traced back to the victim&quest;<&sol;strong> Synthetic identity theft can be difficult to trace back to the victim since it involves a combination of real and fake information&period; However&comma; law enforcement and financial institutions may be able to track down the perpetrators with enough evidence&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Are there any legal protections for victims of synthetic identity theft&quest;<&sol;strong> In many countries&comma; including the United States&comma; there are legal protections for victims of identity theft&period; These protections may include the right to dispute fraudulent charges&comma; the right to have fraudulent information removed from credit reports&comma; and the right to recover damages&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li><strong>Is synthetic identity theft on the rise&quest;<&sol;strong> Yes&comma; synthetic identity theft has been on the rise in recent years&comma; particularly as technology has made it easier for criminals to create and use synthetic identities&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ol>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">Prevention and Reporting<&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">To prevent synthetic identity theft&colon;<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ol class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Be cautious about sharing personal information online&period; Only provide it when necessary and to trusted entities&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Regularly monitor your credit reports for unusual activity&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Use strong&comma; unique passwords for all your online accounts&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Be aware of common phishing scams and avoid clicking on suspicious links or opening unsolicited attachments in emails&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Consider using a credit monitoring service to alert you of potential fraud&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ol>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h3 class&equals;"wp-block-heading">If you suspect synthetic identity theft&comma; take the following steps&colon;<&sol;h3>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<ol class&equals;"wp-block-list">&NewLine;<li>Report it to your local police department and file a report&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission &lpar;FTC&rpar; at <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;identitytheft&period;gov&sol;" data-type&equals;"URL" data-id&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;identitytheft&period;gov&sol;">identitytheft&period;gov<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Contact the fraud department of each of the three major credit bureaus &lpar;Experian&comma; Equifax&comma; and TransUnion&rpar; to place a fraud alert on your credit reports&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Review your credit reports for any fraudulent accounts or charges and dispute them with the appropriate financial institutions&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<li>Change the passwords for all your online accounts&comma; especially those associated with your financial information&period;<&sol;li>&NewLine;<&sol;ol>&NewLine;

Identity TheftSynthetic Identity Theft