It just goes to show – rich or poor, you can become a victim of identity theft.
Orange County, Calif. real estate billionaire Donald Bren was victimized by a man who looks nothing like him. The man walked into a bank, opened several accounts using a $1.4 million federal tax refund check stolen from Bren and, over the next month, drained the accounts of $1.1 million.
Bank surveillance footage shows the man to be balding, heavyset and younger than the 78-year-old Bren, who is the 16th-richest man in America and the 45th-richest in the world.
The thief used a fake Social Security number and driver’s license, and listed his occupation as “smoke shop.”
Investigators said the whole incident just goes to show how easily identity theft scams can be carried out.
And it’s just that easy for a thief to take your personal information. Someone wishing to steal your identity can obtain your personal information by hacking into an unsecured Web site where you’ve shopped, he can simply steal your wallet or purse, or search your garbage for discarded credit or bank statements. Once he has the information he needs, he can then commit a crime using your identity, or obtain a credit card, bank account, mortgage or payday loan.
The criminal then racks up bills, drains your bank accounts and slips away. It’s often hard to find a criminal who’s committed identity theft, police say, because most people don’t catch the theft right away, which gives the criminal time to disappear.
If you’re vigilant about checking your credit report, and bank and credit card statements, you can protect your most sensitive information.
But if you want to be proactive in the fight against identity theft, your best bet is to call LifeLock.
LifeLock will monitor for the illegal sale or trade of your personal information on the Internet, and will also search to see if your information is being used to apply for many forms of credit or services. If any illegal or suspicious activity is detected, you will be notified immediately.
If your wallet is lost or stolen, LifeLock will help you replace the contents and cancel the stolen cards. And if you ever fall victim to identity theft, LifeLock representatives are available 24/7 to help restore your good name.
Being proactive is the first step toward keeping yourself and your family safe. Call LifeLock today.
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