Texas AG: Be wary of ID theft

From Austin Business Journal, March 4, 2009...

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot is warning Texans to watch for signs of fraud, as the Federal Trade Commission has identified Texas as second in the nation for identity theft complaints.

Nearly 32,000 Texans were identity theft victims in 2008, according to the FTC. While the average victim loses hundreds of dollars and spends several hours cleaning up the damage, the worst cases can cost thousands of dollars and take years to fully repair.

The Office of the Attorney General has warned that there are several ways thieves can find victims, from retrieving bills and other documents from the trash to using fake emails to get victims to provide personal information. Other methods include theft of credit cards and identification, using viruses to gain financial and personal information and phony job offers requiring the applicant to divulge sensitive information. A full list of methods and ways to protect from identity theft is available on the AG's Web site .

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