ANCHOR LEAD IN:
ANYONE WHO'S HAD THEIR IDENTITY STOLEN CAN TELL YOU WHAT A MISERABLE EXPERIENCE IT IS...BUT EVEN WORSE - THESE THEIVES ARE NOW PREYING ON PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY MISERABLE DUE TO A DEATH IN THE FAMILY! IT'S CALLED OBIT I-D THEFT...AND IT'S ON THE RISE. HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF IN TODAY'S HEADS UP.

TRACK ONE Length: :11
WRITING AN OBITUARY NOTICE CAN BE VERY PAINFUL. IT'S ALL ABOUT PAYING TRIBUTE TO A LOVED ONE...AND INCLUDING DETAILS THAT EXPLAIN HOW THE PERSON LIVED. TIM WHEATON RECENTLY WROTE ONE ABOUT HIS MOTHER.

SOT:
Key @: :10 Tim Wheaton, Wrote an obit for his mother
"We put in her maiden name, we put in where she lived most of her life, we put in her surviving family members."

TRACK TWO Length: :07
BUT THE VERY INFORMATION THAT WE WANT OTHERS TO KNOW ABOUT OUR LOVED ONES CAN COME BACK TO HAUNT US. THE 'DEVIL' REALLY IS IN OBITUARY DETAILS...

SOT
Key @: :23 Diane Terry, Senior Director, TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Unit
"Each piece of information is just another link that helps the criminal get what they want."

TRACK THREE Length: :04
OBIT I-D THIEVES USE THE INFORMATION TO RIP YOU OFF IN TWO WAYS...

SOT
Key @: :35 Jay Foley, Founder and Co-executive director, Identity Theft Resource Center
"It may be as simple as I'm generating new debts against your, your estate, or it may be that I'm living and working as you long after you've passed away."

TRACK FOUR Length: :08
THIEVES USE WHAT THEY LEARN IN OBITUARIES TO CALL HOMETOWNS AND TRY TO WRANGLE BIRTH CERTIFICATES. OR, THEY CALL SURVIVORS PRETENDING TO BE FROM THE FUNERAL HOME...

SOT
Key @: :52 Diane Terry, Senior Director, TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Unit
"What was this individual's middle name, and by the way, oh, I need the social security number."

SOT:
Key @: :57 Tim Wheaton, Wrote an obit for his mother
"I had never heard of ID theft from obituaries. I spoke to the newspaper. I spoke to the funeral director. No one mentioned anything like that to me."

TRACK FIVE Length: :16
BUT, YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR FAMILY. FIRST, LIMIT PERSONAL INFO IN THE OBITUARY. CALL THE THREE CONSUMER CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES TO REPORT A DEATH. SEND A COPY OF THE DEATH NOTICE TO BANKS AND CREDIT CARD COMPANIES. AND IF SOMEONE SAYS THE DECEASED HAD AN ACCOUNT THAT YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF...

SOT
Key @: 1:20 Jay Foley, Founder and Co-executive director, Identity Theft Resource Center
"Make them prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they actually had an agreement and a contact with this individual."

TRACK SIX Length: :04
TIM WISHES HE HAD KNOWN ALL THIS BEFORE HE WROTE HIS MOTHER'S OBITUARY.

SOT
NO KEY Tim Wheaton, Wrote an obit for his mother
"It would certainly be helpful at that emotional moment for someone to mention these sort of concerns."

ANCHOR TAG:
Equifax
615-386-2200, 800-556-4711
Experian
888-397-3742, 800-353-0809, 800-301-7195
TransUnion
800-916-8800, 800-241-2858, 800-680-7293, 800-680-7289

TERRY SAYS THAT THIEVES ACT QUICKLY TO ESTABLISH NEW ACCOUNTS - WHILE THERE'S STILL A LOT OF SADNESS AND CONFUSION. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS OF YOUR LOVED ONES' ESTATE, YOU CAN STILL SEND OUT DEATH CERTIFICATES TO THE C-R-As, BANKS AND CREDIT CARD COMPANIES TO PROTECT YOURSELF. THE NUMBERS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE:

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Jay Foley
Co-executive Director,
Internet Theft Resource Center
9672 Via Excelencia
Suite 101 (North of Miramar Road)
San Diego, CA 92126
858-693-7935
Jay Foley is cofounder and director of the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC). Serving as ITRC's primary criminal justice contact, he assists law enforcement officials and victims throughout the country. Mr. Foley is a member of several law enforcement, government, and legislative task forces and has testified at legislative hearings in Congress and in California and Texas.
The Internet Theft Resource Center is a nonprofit, nationally respected program dedicated exclusively to identity theft It provides consumer and victim support and advises governmental agencies, legislators and companies about this evolving and growing crime.

Diane Terry
Senior Director,
TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Unit
Contact: Steve Katz, PR
312-985-2373

TransUnion TransUnion is a leading global provider of business intelligence services supported by more than 4000 employees, in more than 30 countries worldwide. With technology-based intelligence products, including innovative credit decisioning and fraud prevention tools, advanced target marketing products, risk and profitability models and portfolio management, TransUnion enables businesses to manage financial risk and capitalize on market opportunities.

Additional Information:
FDIC Consumer News suggests that families consider the following actions after a loved one dies:
* Limit the amount of personal information in obituaries. "It's a good idea to leave out the exact birth date of the deceased. If anything, provide only the birth year," said David Nelson, a fraud specialist in the FDIC's Financial Crimes Section.
* Consider omitting a wife's maiden name because many financial institutions use a mother's maiden name as a security password. "If an obituary publicizes a woman's maiden name and lists her children, an identity thief may be able to use that and other information to order credit cards or otherwise go on a spending spree in the childrens' names," Nelson added.
* Obtain several copies of the death certificate and then proceed to close bank, brokerage, credit card and other accounts as needed.
* Ask your attorney or accountant for advice about closing and reopening accounts in survivors' names. Also, quickly report the death to the fraud departments of all three major credit bureaus (see below), which financial institutions rely on when handling credit applications, and the Social Security Administration.
http://www.ci.newark.nj.us/Public_Information/Press_Releases/Press_Releases_184.htm