I find it both shocking as well as telling of the larger problem that Anna Bernanke, who is the wife of Ben Bernanke (chairman of the US Federal Reserve), both carried her physical Social Security card and printed her home address and telephone number on each of her checks.

Anna and Ben Bernanke

The Bernanke family is at the top of the US government financial food chain.  They have failed to lead by example by taking the most basic of steps when it came to personal security against identity theft.

I find it shocking because the Bernanke family is highly educated,  Anna with a M.A. from Stanford University.  An individual of Anna’s educational background and intelligence should certainly be aware of and practicing simple personal financial protection techniques to avoid identity.

I find it telling of a larger problem because if an individual such as Anna Bernanke is not practicing simple personal financial protection techniques to avoid identity theft then it is very likely that neither is the general American public.

Perhaps the Bernanke’s will pass along a lesson learned the hard way to their children Joel and Alyssa who are at great risk of becoming victims of identity theft at some point in their lifetimes.

To learn how to practice simple personal financial protection techniques to best protect yourself from identity theft visit this link for up to date tips from identity theft experts.

In 2006, my bank provided an identity thief posing as me, debit card approval through an unauthorized phone number. Within a few days, the thief wiped out my checking account, stealing $8,000.00 before I realized what happened. For six months, the identity thief continued to victimize me. I lost $22,000.00, before I managed to catch the thief and stop the rampage. Yet, my bank was accusing me of forging my own identity.

It’s dreadful enough when you find out you are a victim of identity theft, but it adds insult to injury when your bank treats you like a criminal.

Did you know that many of the largest banks in the United States are frequently targeted by identity thieves? (Fig. 1) Fortunately, what I learned during my personal experience dealing with my bank after becoming a victim of identity theft may assist you if you’re ever a victim.

 Figure 1:  Courtesy of Chris Hoofnagle and the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology

Tips for working with your bank if you’re an identity theft victim:

TIP #1 – IMMEDIATELY CLOSE ALL COMPROMISED ACCOUNTS

If your bank doesn’t automatically provide you with a new account number,   insist that they do so.  In order to get any money reimbursed, you will need an account number that has not been compromised.

TIP #2 – GET PROTECTION ON ALL ACCOUNTS

Insist that your bank place an “Identity Theft Warning” message and password protection on all your accounts. I found it easy to do this for phone inquiries, but difficult for in-person inquiries. So when I thought I was safe because I had a new password-protected bank account, the identity thief managed to withdraw money in person from different bank branches. Through perseverance, I was able to locate a bank manager who was able to place a universal warning on all my accounts. I believe this helped me eventually track down my identity thief. 

TIP #3 – ASK QUESTIONS

Knowledge is power. If you don’t understand the bank’s identity theft protocol, ask questions about it. It’s important to know what the bank is requesting of you. Understanding the bank’s procedures will help you deal with this crime. If you don’t understand the bank’s procedure or don’t think the procedure is useful in your particular circumstance, ask further questions and/or request additional assistance.  I was able to get a new protocol put into place for my accounts (see Tip #2).

TIP #4 – KEEP RECORDS AND A JOURNAL

Create a file for your identity theft documents. Log all your conversations and transactions. Make sure to get full names of the people you talk to, keep track of all dates and times (noting how much time you spent dealing with each issue), and be sure to keep track of the amount of money lost or stolen including your time spent to recover. Creating these records will help you recall what happened, should you need to at a later date.  Most importantly, if you ever go to court because your identity was stolen, you will have a clear record. Plus, you may be able to claim the loss on your taxes.

 TIP #5 – MONITOR YOUR ACCOUNTS REGULARLY

Keep an eye on your bank accounts. Call your bank immediately if you notice a discrepancy, no matter how small as you may have a limited period of time to file a complaint. I regularly review my bank activity online. It saves a time and, if your mail has been stolen or redirected by an identity thief, you may not get your bank statements in time.  Remember to be smart when banking online. Always log in using your bank’s official URL and never log-in by clicking on a link provided in an email or advertisement. Always log out when finished and close the browser window. Empty cookies from your computer system regularly and never allow the browser to remember your password (type in your password every time).

 TIP #6 – KEEP PERSONAL INFORMATION OFF YOUR CHECKS

All you need are your first initials and last name on your checks. Your full name, address, Social Security number and phone number are not necessary. The bank knows how to handle your checks. The less your personal information is out there for a thief, the better. If a crook can’t match an exact name to a bank account, he/she will be less likely to use it.

As an identity theft victim, dealing with your bank may be a challenge.  You may have to repeat the facts of your case to several different bank officials until the bank has a grasp of your specific circumstances.  This can be frustrating. If possible, find one person that can handle your claim as quickly as possible.  Ask to speak to a supervisor if you feel you are not getting the help you need or if someone treats you poorly. And trust that your situation will eventually get resolved.

Our staff of identity theft experts strives to present the latest and most relevant identity theft articles, identity theft news, commentary and ID theft videos.

Our staff (under the guidance of Rob Douglas) follows and presents ID theft related legislation, identity theft services, scams, credit card fraud and security breaches / data breaches. We additionally offer ways to protect yourself and your family from becoming victims of identity theft.

We take identity protection seriously, as a theft of identity can result in not only great financial loss and loss of time in order to repair the damage done, but could end in permanent medical damage or death (see our medical identity theft section).

We are proponents of the credit freeze / security freeze option available to consumers at the three major credit bureaus as a way to prevent identity theft.  Although the credit freeze is not a total identity theft prevention method it does prevent many types of ID theft and our identity theft experts believe it is the best option available to consumers at this time.

If you are already a victim of ID theft our identity theft experts provide tips on how and where to report identity theft as well as important other steps you should consider taking.

All of the ID theft research and content at www.IdentityTheft.info is written or compiled by identity theft experts for consumption by journalists, lawmakers, and consumers and is edited by Rob Douglas our chief editor and identity theft expert.