ID Theft Expert Offers Tips To Avoid On Line Crimes

Identity theft is a major problem in the America. Michigan Attorney General I D theft expert Jim Fleck says it happens about every three seconds.

During a forum at Bay City Hall Monday night, Fleck points to eight Michigan cities among the 50 biggest targets in the country, including Ann Arbor and East Lansing, most likely with students sharing dorm rooms or apartments.

Fleck said a popular phishing scam is a fake on line request that looks like your bank’s web page to confirm your account information.

He said many scammers go ‘dumpster diving’, going through trash looking for key personal information you threw in the trash. He said remove labels from prescription drug containers, never leave your purse of wallet unattended and never give out your information over the phone or on line, unless you’re sure the request is legitimate.

Fleck suggests using a sentence for your password, with a hyphen between the words. You should also be cautious going on line someplace offering free WI-FI.

Even children are not safe. In 2017, more than a million American children under eight years old, had their identity stolen. In many cases, the theft is not discovered for many years. The Michigan Attorney General’s office offers more information at http://mi.gov/ce