ANCHOR INTRO:
Source: Research firm Javelin Inc. conducted a study, which was released in January, 2005, sponsored by CheckFree Services Corp., Visa USA, and Wells Fargo Bank. It found one in every 23 consumers was an id theft victim last year.
IDENTITY THEFT IS NO JOKE, WITH ONE IN EVERY 23 CONSUMERS VICTIMIZED LAST YEAR ALONE. WHILE THE FOCUS LATELY SEEMS TO BE ON PROTECTING ONLINE INFORMATION, EXPERTS SAY IT'S TIME TO GO BACK TO BASICS. WHEN YOU HAND OVER A CHECK OR PAY A BILL...ARE YOU GIVING OUT MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU NEED TO? A HEADS UP! ON SOME SIMPLE ...BUT CRITICAL... STEPS TO HELP YOU KEEP YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION PRIVATE.

TRACK ONE Length: 05
KAREN HAY HOLDS ONTO HER PURSE A LITTLE TIGHTER THESE DAYS...STILL REELING AFTER IT WAS RECENTLY STOLEN.

SOT
KEY @: 06 Karen Hay, Purse stolen
"I left my purse at church and when I went back a few hours later, my purse was gone."

TRACK TWO Length: 01
SHE ACTED QUICKLY.

SOT
KEY @: 13 Karen Hay, Purse stolen
"I ended up calling all my credit card companies and canceling all my credit cards. I called my bank."

TRACK THREE Length: 09
SOURCE: The 2005 Identity Fraud Survey Report was conducted by
Javelin Strategy and Research for the Better Business Bureaus. It can be found at: http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:gBnYvqH3REMJ:www.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp
%3FID%3D565+%22The+2005+Identity+Fraud+Survey+Report%22&hl=en
NOTHING HAPPENED...BUT SHE'S ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES.
NEARLY 30% OF IDENTITY THEFT HAPPENS AS A RESULT OF A LOST OR STOLEN WALLET. .... TO REDUCE YOUR RISK:

NAT SOT
Length: 01
(Ripping of check)

TRACK FOUR Length: 12
THERE ARE SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO. FIRST...PLAY THE NAME GAME. EXPERTS SAY PUT ONLY YOUR FIRST INITIAL AND LAST NAME ON YOUR CHECKS. THAT WAY, IF SOMEONE STEALS YOUR CHECKBOOK, THEY WON'T HAVE YOUR FULL NAME. ALSO....

SOT
KEY @: 40 Nessa Feddis, American Bankers Association
"I would avoid putting a telephone number on the preprinted checks."

TRACK FIVE Length: 04
PRINT YOUR ADDRESS ONLY. IF A MERCHANT REQUIRES A NUMBER, WRITE IN A WORK NUMBER.

NAT SOT
Length: 01
(credit card being swiped)

TRACK SIX Length: 13
IN CASE SOMEONE POCKETS YOUR CREDIT CARD, THE AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION SAYS IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO WRITE ON THE BACK -- "SEE PHOTO ID" -- TO ENSURE CLERKS DOUBLE CHECK WHO'S SWIPING YOUR CARD. BUT IT'S STILL CRITICAL. TO SIGN THE BACK. IF YOU DON'T...

SOT
Length: 02(Nessa Feddis, American Bankers Association)
"The merchant may deny the transaction.."

TRACK SEVEN Length: 02
PROTECTION DOESN'T STOP WITH YOUR WALLET.

SOT
Length: 02(Nessa Feddis, American Bankers Association)
"Make sure your mail is secure."

TRACK EIGHT Length: 10
RESEARCH SHOWS MAIL IS A FAVORITE TARGET FOR IDENTITY THIEVES. SO IF YOU SEND IN A PAYMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR A CREDIT CARD... HERE'S SOME ADVICE: DO NOT PUT YOUR ENTIRE ACCOUNT NUMBER ON THE CHECK...

SOT
KEY @: 1:20 Nessa Feddis, American Bankers Association
"It's one more piece of information that somebody might be able to use."

TRACK NINE Length: 12
JUST FILL IN THE LAST COUPLE DIGITS OF YOUR ACCOUNT SINCE YOUR CREDITOR HAS YOUR ENTIRE NUMBER ON FILE. ONE FINAL PIECE OF ADVICE: KEEP A LIST OF YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBERS STASHED AWAY IN A SAFE PLACE... JUST IN CASE ...

ANCHOR TAG:
ANOTHER SUGGSTION FROM THE AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION-MONITOR YOUR ACCOUNTS AND LOOK OVER YOUR CREDIT REPORT AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. IF YOUR WALLET IS TAKEN, YOU CAN PUT A FRAUD ALERT ON YOUR CREDIT REPORT TO MAKE SURE ANYONE APPLYING FOR CREDIT UNDER YOUR NAME IS, IN FACT, YOU.

SOURCES:

Nessa Feddis
American Bankers Association
Phone: 202-663-5433.
nfeddis@aba.com
Contact: PAO John Hall
Nessa Feddis is senior federal counsel to the ABA's Government Relations Division. She focuses on consumer banking and payment system issues both in the federal legislative and regulatory arenas. Her responsibilities include relaying ABA's positions to Congress and government agencies and educating bankers on new laws and regulations. In recent years, she has been involved with regulatory and legislative matters relating to payments systems, including ATMs and accessibility, and emerging electronic payment systems, consumer credit, credit and debit cards, privacy, deposit accounts, and credit card and check fraud.
She received her law degree from Catholic University and is a member of the Washington, D.C. Bar. She is also a fellow of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers. Her articles discussing regulatory and legislative developments in consumer banking matters have appeared in ABA Banking Journal and ABA Bank Compliance.