Friday, September 15, 2006

Identity Theft



Identity theft is a serious crime impacting more than 10 million victims each year. Often, consumers first learn they are identity theft victims when they are in the process of buying or renting a home and ruining thier dream of homeownership. The National Association of Realtors is working with the Federal Trade Commission to educate comsumers to minimize the risk of identity theft. This new initiative, Deter-Detect-Defend is focused on empowering consumers to protect themselves against identity and to minimize its impact.

Together, the NAR and FTC hope to educate consumers to take the necessary steps to deter, detect and defend against identity theft and make it more difficult for identity thieves to steal a consumer’s personal information. This will help consumers better protect their credit, and increase the likelihood of realizing their home ownership dreams.

Deter Identity Theft
Consumers can deter identity thieves by safeguarding their personal information.

Detect Identity Theft
Consumers can detect suspicious activity by routinely monitoring their financial accounts and billing statements. Many consumers learn that their identity has been stolen after the damage has been done. The faster consumers detect the theft, the more they can limit the damage.

Defend Against Identity Theft
Consumers should defend against identity theft as soon as they suspect a problem. It’s important to act quickly to minimize the damage.

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