You’ve just made one million dollars in sales for the first time. Business is good — you’ve got a new advertising campaign with a Web site and a new billboard in a high-traffic area.

Identity theft can take it all away, so be careful.

According to Federal Trade Commission statistics, you are five times more likely to have your identity stolen than to be injured in a car accident. And, ironically, the techniques that help you promote your business can also make you more vulnerable to identity theft.

“ Even famous people like David Letterman and the late Dave Thomas have had their data stolen,” Realty Times columnist and data safety expert Robert Siciliano said. “REALTORS® are mini-celebrities,” he added. “They’re in the public eye.”

All thieves need to do is find information that’s already in the public domain — on the Internet, at a restaurant, or even in a trash can. REALTORS® need to know what information to guard, how to guard it and what to do if their identity is stolen.

Just an old-fashioned crime spree

Criminals crave your Social Security number. It’s by far the easiest gateway for a thief to gain access to other accounts, like bank statements, phone bills and more.

However, a tenacious thief can use any scrap of information to his advantage. He can use a combination of personal data, like home address and phone number, to assume someone’s identity on the phone with the credit card company, phone company or electric company. If he fools the person on the other end, he now has access to a plethora of data.

Statistics show 50 percent of identity thefts still happen using low-tech methods like stealing credit card numbers off restaurant receipts and “dumpster diving.”

Dumpster divers pick through trash to find credit card statements, bank statements, or anything with a Social Security or driver’s license number. Savvy thieves can even use unopened preapproved credit card offers to get free credit on someone else’s tab.

Dumpster diving is perfectly legal. Once trash is thrown away, it’s no longer private property.

In fact, police have used garbage as evidence against suspects in criminal cases. But, it’s hard to stop a criminal from using data for nefarious purposes.

New- age crime

Think of the Internet as a big dumpster. Anytime you use a computer, such as at an airport, it’s like leaving a receipt on a restaurant table. Anyone can log in and find what Web sites have been visited.

If some of them contain sensitive information, an unscrupulous person has free access to it.

Cell phones are another way thieves can use technology to steal information.

Conversations in public places can be overheard, and cell phones are more easily tapped than land lines.

Some thieves have truly embraced technology and now use the Internet to fish, or “phish,” for information. “Phishing” is when a criminal steals the design of a Web site and promotes it as the real thing to lure people into giving up their personal information. Accomplished phishers can fool almost anyone.

Phishing is most effective when combined with spoofing. First, the thieves send out fake e-mails that look like they’re from a legitimate business, like Microsoft or Best Buy. The spoofed e-mails tell people that their account information needs to be updated, and direct them to the fake Web site.

Although it may seem like common sense not to give sensitive information over e-mail, an article on the Computer Crime Research Center Web site www.crime-research.org) estimates that 1 in 20 phishing scams is successful.

Data defenders

To stop identity thieves, the best offense is a good defense. Protecting identity comes down to two key strategies: keeping information secure and keeping it accurate.

Also, consider purchasing a monthly credit monitoring service. These services watch a credit account for suspicious activity such as credit checks or the opening of new cards. One service in particular that Siciliano recommends, Kroll Worldwide, also provides credit repair service.

Michigan is taking steps to help consumers protect their identities and punish the offenders.

In June, the Michigan Legislature passed Senate Bills 912 and 913, which increase the penalties for forging, altering or selling a state ID. The bills raise the maximum penalty from four to 10 years.

“ Tougher penalties give authorities greater tools to combat identity-related crimes, and also may act as a deterrent,” Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land said.

Sometimes, despite every precaution, personal information may be compromised.
“ Identity theft is rapidly becoming a tool of the trade for organized crime,” Siciliano said. Statistics by law enforcement predict that in the next five years, 30 million people will be affected by identity theft.

David Rubinger, a vice president at the credit reporting company Equifax, says that the steps to resolve credit disputes are “pretty straightforward. Get a written copy of your credit report,” he said, “and send in written documentation of any inaccuracy.

Equifax reviews it and contacts the credit granter, who must get back to us within 30 days. If they don’t, we take it off your credit report.”

Since every dispute is treated individually, Equifax offers an 800 number for customers to call to get guidance on what steps to take.

If your identity is stolen:

1. Get a copy of your credit report. Then, call and write to the three major credit bureaus to dispute the claims. It is essential to do everything in writing.
   Equifax – www.equifax.com
   Experian – www.experian.com
   TransUnion – www.transunion.com
2. Put a fraud alert on all accounts. This means the company will contact you before any purchase is authorized.
3. Get a police report. Although identity crimes aren’t usually prosecuted, having a case number helps in correspondence to credit card companies and banks.
4. Cancel credit cards, and get new ones reissued. Make sure that the company knows the accounts were closed due to fraud. Get everything in writing, and check your credit report from all three bureaus every three to six months to make sure the information has been fixed.
5. Know your rights. Review the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which can be found on the FTC’s Web site. Rubinger also suggests the FCRA summary available on the Equifax home page.

It’s hard to find identity thieves and even harder to prosecute them. But changes in legislation, like SB 912 and 913, are starting to show up on dockets across the country. Legislation and public interest will help make the world safe for REALTORS®’ Web sites and billboards.

DON'T:

• Preprint drivers license numbers on checks.
• Give out a Social Security number unless it’s absolutely necessary, such as in a mortgage loan or other business transaction.
• Conduct sensitive business on a cell phone.
• Leave paper or electronic data open for others to see.
• Use public computer terminals for sensitive transactions.
• Divulge sensitive data in e-mail.

DO:

• Check monthly credit card statements against receipts.
• Get yearly copies of credit card reports.
• Get copies of Social Security summaries every three years.
• Shred all documents with personal information, including preapproved credit card offers.
• Log out of Web sites properly.
• Keep a barrier between business life and professional life. Use call forwarding services so work calls can be forwarded to home or cell phones.
• Develop regular spending habits, so a credit card company will be able to see red flags more easily. For example: Get a credit card for online purchases only.