The Value of a Good Name

By: Frank E. Fain, PhD

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold…a prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” Proverbs 22:1 & 3NIV

In recent years law enforcement has been dealing with a new kind of criminal called the “identity thief”. Identity theft is “using another person’s good name and financial reputation without their knowledge to illegally gain money or material goods for oneself.”

The most tragic thing about this type of crime is the criminal takes a person’s most personal possessions: his or her good name and reputation. In extreme cases identity theft victims have lost their jobs, houses, cars, and money, been refused loans, and even arrested for crimes they did not commit. In addition victims must spend months to years trying to restore their good name and credit standing.

Identity thieves use a variety of methods to steal your personal data. Some of the most common methods are:

Stealing wallets or purses containing identification, bank/credit cards.

Stealing mail especially bank/credit card statements, pre-approved credit card offers, new checks, and tax information.

Rummaging through a person’s trash for personal data.

Searching for unsecured personal data in your home and/or that you share on the Internet.

A prudent person will see the danger of identity theft and will take the following steps to minimize their risk of a criminal stealing their personal data.

Never give out personal data on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet, unless you have initiated the contact, you know with whom you are dealing, how the personal data will be used, secured, and whether it will be share with others.

Guard your mail by promptly removing mail from your box and depositing all outgoing mail in a post office collection box or at the post office.

Buy a shredder and shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, credit-card offers, expired credit cards, insurance forms, physicians statements, bank checks and statements that you are discarding. Also remove the mailing label from magazines you are discarding.

Never carry your Social Security card. Leave it in a secure place. Give the number ONLY WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Always ask if it is possible to use another identifier.

Never put your social security number on your checks or driver’s license.

Never leave your purse or wallet in your car or other unsecure place such as an unlocked locker at the fitness center. Also minimize the number of credit cards you carry.

Take all receipts. Never leave them on the countertop or in the hands of employees in stores, restaurants or business

Watch monthly credit card statements for discrepancies. Pay attention to billing cycles and if regular bills do not arrive on time contact the company for the reason. A missing credit card bill could mean an identity thief has taken it and changed your address to cover his tracks.

Regularly order a copy of your credit report. Carefully review it to make sure the number of Credit cards and loans in your name are correct.

For more information on protecting yourself from identity theft secure a copy of “ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name” published by the Federal Trade Commission and is available in a .pdf format on line.

Back to Archives