6B COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL , October 28, 2015
OCTOBER 2015
National Crime
Prevention Month
&
Domestic Violence
Awareness Month
Signs of domestic violence
Don’t have your
identity stolen
Every person in the country is unique and has an identifying
name and numbers assigned to him or her that help regulate
aspects of his or her professional and personal life. When
some form of a person’s identifi cation is stolen, this is
known as identity theft , and it can wreak havoc on fi nances
and personal credit. Th ere are a number of steps men and
women can take to avoid being victimized by identity theft .
In the United States, a driver’s license and a social security
number are used to identify individuals. (In Canada,
individuals are issued social insurance numbers.) Credit
cards are also issued in a person’s name, and unique
numbers assigned enable individuals on the account to make
purchases on credit. From debit card PIN numbers to other
sources of identifi cation, the average person has a lot of
information that separates him or her from others.
Identity theft has become a prolifi c problem. Having so
many sources of identity around makes it easier for identity
thieves to target individuals. In a largely digital society,
thieves have learned how to capture credit card numbers and
access social security numbers from correspondence over
the Internet or simply by reading magnetic-stripped cards
right in a wallet. Th e identities of the deceased are also being
stolen thanks to information published online.
Th e Federal Trade Commission estimates that as many as
nine million Americans have their identities stolen each
year. According to a McMaster eBusiness Research Centre
study, 6.5 percent of the total Canadian population reported
being a victim of identity theft in 2007. Most identity theft
cases involve fraudulent credit card transactions.
Th ere are diff erent ways to protect yourself from identity
theft . Th e fi rst step is identifying the various ways thieves
might gather a potential victim’s personal information.
Simple stealing: Th ieves can get personal information and
credit cards simply by taking wallets or purses. Some take
mail, including bank statements or newly issued credit
cards, out of mailboxes. Some thieves take information from
personnel records or bribe employees who may have access
to this information.
Trash hunting: Th ey say one man’s trash is another man’s
treasure, and some identity thieves put this adage to the test.
When individuals discard bank statements or credit card
bills without shredding them, the papers can be taken out
of trash cans or bags. Anything thrown out with a form of
identifi cation on it can be stolen and used.
Phishing, vishing and shmishing: Phishing is a term that
describes identity theft tactics surrounding e-mail and
Internet use. With phishing, individuals are lured to give
out personal information via an e-mail that is thought to
be from a reputable fi nancial establishment. Anti-phishing
technology has been developed to pinpoint phishing e-mails,
but hackers and phishers have developed their own methods
to thwart it. Physically asking for information over the
phone is known as vishing. Information requested over texts
or short messages is known as shmishing.
OCTOBER 2015
Skimming: Th ieves use special devices attached to credit
card readers to store data for later use. Th ere are also devices
that can read credit card information while the card is still
in a wallet.
Pretexting: According to the FTC, pretexters use a variety of
tactics to get personal information. For example, a pretexter
may call, claim he’s from a research fi rm, and ask a person
for his name, address, birth date, and social security number.
When the pretexter has the information he wants, he uses
it to call that person’s fi nancial institution. He pretends to
be the account holder or someone with authorized access to
the account. Th e information may be later sold to a person
looking to get credit.
Now that many of the identity theft methods have been
explained, protecting oneself involves taking precautionary
steps.
• Do not keep many credit cards in your wallet,
and leave passports and social security cards at
home. Th e less personal items you carry, the
harder it becomes for would-be thieves to
access your private information.
• Consider a locked mailbox or use a post offi ce
box if you are concerned about mail theft .
• Shred all papers containing personal
information before putting them in the trash or
recycling bin.
• Always identify an individual before giving out
personal information via phone, e-mail or text
messages. Most fi nancial institutions will not
ask for information over e-mail or the
telephone. If you are unsure, call the bank and
ask for their policy. Also, even if the person is
reputable, keep in mind that data can be
intercepted over phone lines or through digital
channels if they are not secure.
• Watch your credit card as much as possible
when using it for dining out or when it is taken
out of your sight to be swiped. Routinely check
your statements and credit scores to see if there
were unauthorized charges made. Also, there
are special wallets that prevent skimming of
card information while the card is in your wallet.
• When in doubt, do not give out any personal
information. Try to do your business in person.
Do not off er social security numbers to a
survey-taker or anyone else contacting you
over the phone. Being stringent in researching
information requests can cut down on
identity theft .
Although some people can resolve identity theft quickly, for
others it can take years and hundreds of dollars to repair
their names. Taking a proactive approach to identity theft is
the key to thwarting it.
verbal abuse. Many victims of domestic
violence are battered into secrecy or are
embarrassed that they are being abused
and do not share their experiences with
others. Others might not even realize
what they are experiencing constitutes
abuse. But there are some signs of
domestic violence that can be observed
and a third party may be able to intervene.
• A partner who harbors unrealistic
expectations. Experts say that those who
engage in domestic violence are generally
perfectionists and expect those around them
to reach unattainable goals and their own
perfection. Violence may result when things
do not go of without a hitch.
Domestic violence is a problem that can
affect anyone at anytime. Considering
victims are usually frightened of their
abusers, they oft en suff er in silence.
Th e Domestic Violence Resource Center
says that 1 in 4 women has experienced
domestic violence in her lifetime.
Estimates range from 960,000 incidents
of violence against a current or former
spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend to 3
million women who are physically abused
by their husbands or boyfriends per year.
Men can also be victims of domestic
violence at the hands of their female
partners, and abuse can occur between
same-sex couples as well. However, the
Bureau of Justic Statistics indicates that
women ages 20-24 are at the greatest risk
of nonfatal intimate partner violence.
Domestic violence comes in many forms,
including physical, emotional and
• A partner who is controlling. When a
person insists you account for all of your
time, the relationship may eventually turn
abusive. Th is behavior generally stems from
feelings of insecurity and poor self-esteem
on the part of the abusive individual, which
is then projected on the partner in terms of
abusive words or distrust.
• Escalating threats: In many cases, domestic
violence begins with verbal assaults which
may develop into physical threats. Whether
the abuse is verbal or physical, it can have
profound and long-lasting eff ects on the
victim. For those who observe a person
continually brow-beating a spouse or talking
badly about him or her, this may be an
indication of an abusive relationship.
• A partner with a noticeable temper.
Sometimes a temper goes hand-in-hand with
domestic violence. An individual with a short
fuse and a propensity for lashing out with
minimal patience in areas outside of his or
her relationship may be equally short-fused
in the relationship.
• A partner who limits access to money,
belongings or the car. You may notice your
friend or a family member continually
having to ask permission to use the car or
visit with people. Some friends complain
about not having access to the checkbook
or being kept on a strict budget. While
not always a case of domestic violence, it
may be a warning sign that something is
not right.
• Hidden bruises or excuses for injuries:
Michigan State University’s Safe Place
indicates that injuries that are covered up
and happen with some frequency could
be an early warning sign of domestic
violence. If you know someone who is
trying to downplay frequent injuries, it
may be a red fl ag.
• Confl ict avoidance: Usually those who
are in abusive relationships try to avoid
confl ict and rarely speak up or voice their
own opinions.
• Personality changes: Withdrawal,
inability or not wanting to meet up with
friends, loss of enthusiasm, or any other
personality changes may be indicative of
abuse.
Domestic violence is something that
takes many forms and is oft en hidden.
But there may be some warning signs
that can be observed through an outside
party.
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