Rural Survey Stimulus Testing Attachments (Sections E-I)

Avoiding Identity Theft
Identity theft can make it hard for you to get credit, a job, a place to live, or utilities. But you
can reduce your risk of being hurt by identity theft.

How can I protect my identity?
Protect your personal information. That helps you protect your identity. Here are some things
you can do:

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At home

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keep your financial records, Social Security and Medicare cards in a safe place
shred papers that have your personal or medical information
take mail out of your mailbox as soon as you can

As you do business

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only give your Social Security number if you must. Ask if you can use another kind
of identification

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do not give your personal information to someone who calls you or emails you

On the computer

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use passwords that are not easy to guess. Use numbers and symbols when you
can

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do not respond to emails or other messages that ask for personal information
do not put personal information on a computer in a public place, like the library

How will I know if someone steals my identity?
Read your bills and account statements. Watch for:

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things you did not buy

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withdrawals you did not make

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a change of your address that you did not expect

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bills that stop coming

Avoiding Identity Theft
Look at medical statements. You might see charges you do not recognize. That might mean
someone stole your identity.
Get your credit report. You get one free credit report every year from each credit reporting
company. To order:

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Call Annual Credit Report at 1-877-322-8228.

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Answer questions from a recorded system. You have to give your address, Social Security
number, and birth date.

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Choose to only show the last four numbers of your Social Security number. It is safer than
showing the full number on your report.

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Choose which credit reporting company you want a report from. (You get one report free
from each company every year.)

The company mails your report to you. It should arrive two to three weeks after you call.
Read your credit report carefully. Look for mistakes or accounts you do not recognize. This
could mean someone stole your identity.

September 2012 | Federal Trade Commission | consumer.gov

If you spot a scam...
Tell someone
Then tell the FTC

If you spot a scam, report it at

ftc.gov/complaint.
Your reports help
the FTC and other
law enforcement
investigate scams
and bring crooks
to justice.

ftc.gov/complaint
1-877-FTC-HELP
(1-877-382-4357)

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
July 2016

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Spot imposters.
Scammers often pretend
to be someone you trust, like a
government official, a family member,
a charity, or a company you do
business with. Don’t send money
or give out personal information in
response to an unexpected request
– whether it comes as a text, a
phone call or an email.

2

Do online searches.
Type a company or product
name into your favorite search
engine with words like “review,”
“complaint” or “scam.”
Or search for a phrase
that describes your
situation, like “IRS call.”
You can even search
for phone numbers to
see if other people have
reported them as scams.

Don’t believe your
caller ID. Technology makes
it easy for scammers to fake caller
ID information, so the name and
number you see aren’t always real. If
someone calls asking for money or
personal information, hang up. If you
think the caller might be telling the
truth, call back to a number you know
is genuine.

3

4

Don’t pay upfront for a promise.
Someone might ask you to pay
in advance for things like debt relief,
credit and loan offers, mortgage
assistance, or a job. They might
even say you’ve won a prize, but
first you have to pay taxes or fees. If
you do, they will probably take the
money and disappear.
Learn where to get real
help with these issues at
consumer.ftc.gov.

5

Consider how you pay.
Credit cards have significant
fraud protection built in, but some
payment methods don’t. Wiring money
through services like Western Union or
MoneyGram is risky because it’s nearly
impossible to get your money back.
That’s also true for reloadable cards
like MoneyPak, Reloadit or Vanilla.
Government offices and honest
companies won’t require you to use
these payment methods.

6

Talk to someone.
Before you give up your money
or personal information, talk to
someone you trust. Con artists want
you to make decisions in a hurry. They
might even threaten you. Slow down,
check out the story, do an online
search, consult an expert — or just tell
a friend.

7

Hang up on robocalls.
If you answer the phone and
hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up
and report it to the FTC. These calls
are illegal, and often the products are
bogus. Don’t press 1 to speak to a
person or to be taken off the list. That
could lead to more calls.

8

Be skeptical about free trial offers.
Some companies use free trials to
sign you up for products and bill you
every month until you cancel. Before
you agree to a free trial, research the
company and read the cancellation
policy. And always review your
monthly statements for charges
you don’t recognize.

9

Don’t deposit a check and wire
money back.
By law, banks must make funds from
deposited checks available within
days, but uncovering a fake check
can take weeks. If a check you
deposit turns out to be a fake, you’re
responsible for repaying the bank.

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Sign up for free scam alerts
from the FTC at ftc.gov/scams.
Get the latest tips and advice about
scams sent right to your inbox.

“You’ve Won” Scams
Here’s how they work:
You get a card, a call, or an email telling you that you won! Maybe it’s a trip or
a prize, a lottery or a sweepstakes. The person calling is so excited and can’t
wait for you to get your winnings.
But here’s what happens next: they tell you there’s a fee, some taxes, or
customs duties to pay. And then they ask for your credit card number or
bank account information, or they ask you to wire money.
Either way, you lose money instead of winning it. You don’t ever get that big
prize. Instead, you get more requests for money, and more promises that you
won big.

Here’s what you can do:
1. Keep your money – and your information – to yourself. Never share
your financial information with someone who contacts you and claims
to need it. And never wire money to anyone who asks you to.

2. Pass this information on to a friend. You probably throw away these
kinds of scams or hang up when you get these calls. But you probably
know someone who could use a friendly reminder.

Want to know more? Sign up for
scam alerts at ftc.gov/subscribe.

Pass it ON

Please Report Scams
If you spot a scam, please report it to the Federal
Trade Commission.

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Call the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP
(1-877-382-4357) or TTY 1-866-653-4261

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Go online: ftc.gov/complaint

Your complaint can help protect other people.
By filing a complaint, you can help the FTC’s
investigators identify the scammers and stop them
before they can get someone’s hard-earned money.
It really makes a difference.

Federal Trade Commission | ftc.gov/PassItOn

“My mom got a call
saying, ‘Grandma, it’s
your favorite grandson.
I’m in New York and
got into an accident.
I need help. I need
money.’
But he wasn’t in New
York. It was a scam.”

Stop. Check it out. Talk to someone
you trust before sending money.
Learn more about scams like this: ftc.gov/imposters

“I got a call saying
I won a car. I just
needed to wire $500
to pay the taxes.
I went to wire the
money, but the
cashier said it
sounded fishy.
She was right.
It was a scam.”

Stop. Check it out. Talk to
someone before wiring money.
And if it’s a scam, tell the FTC: ftc.gov/complaint