Crime Prevention Links: Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft

Several New York City University Students at other campuses have claimed that thieves have stolen personal information to commit numerous forms of fraud. This crime is known as identity theft and is classified under the New York State Penal Law as: 170.10 PL (Forgery 2nd degree a D Felony).

How Identity Theft Occurs
Identity theft can occur in many ways: thieves pose as credit card company representatives, scavenge through garbage, steal and redirect mail, use internal access of databases, and surf the Internet searching for personal information.

Fictitious Representation
Thieves will set up a table in a public area and pretend to represent a legitimate credit card company. The victim, unknowingly facilitate these criminals when they complete the application and provide all the necessary information required to open a new account. The criminals will have the new credit card delivered to a predetermined pickup site. If you want a credit card, contact the company of your choice directly. Do not complete any credit card application that is being distributed in a public street.

Dumpster Diving
Thieves who retrieve material looking for anything you have discarded with personal information such as social security number, account numbers, addresses, dates of birth, financial, medical information, and pre-approved credit cards. It is recommended that you shred all documents that contain personal information before you discard them.

Mail Theft
Mail theft presents another way criminals obtain personal identification information. Thieves break into mailboxes looking for paid bills or credit cards payments that people leave in their mailboxes for the postal carrier to collect. Thieves use information from these items to obtain credit, purchase products and/or services under the unbeknownst victim's name. Criminals may attempt to complete a "change of address card" in order to divert the victim's mail to a rented mailbox. You should drop your paid bills and account payments at the post office.

Identify Theft Resources

Social Security Administration: Fraud report (800) 269-0271

The three major credit bureaus:

Experian
Fraud Report: (888) 397-3742
Credit Card Report: (800) 682-7654

Trans Union
Fraud Report: (800) 680-7289
Credit Report: (800) 888-4213

Equifax
Fraud Report: (800) 525-6285
Credit Report: (800) 685-1111

Cancel Pre-approved Credit Cards Offers (800) 353-0809

This information is provided to the college community as a public safety service advisory.

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