Identity theft: It can happen to you

The young woman walking through the doors of the Better Business Bureau office held the hand of her 6 year-old son. In the other hand she was holding a copy of her credit report. She explained the report was given to her when she was denied financing on a used car she needs to get to work.

The report showed in the past few months she had opened four cellphones with three different companies and had never paid a penny on three of the four contracts. Several major credit cards and a handful of store cards were maxed out and unpaid. The few bright spots where a small account was paid in a timely manner were rare and overshadowed by the large delinquent debts. It was painfully obvious from the facts on the report that this was an irresponsible individual who couldn?t be trusted to pay her bills.

My opinion couldn?t have been more wrong. Most of the items belonged to an identity thief.

?Who would possibly want my identity?? she wondered out loud. ?I?m a single mom with a young son and until a few months ago, no job!?

As delicately as I knew how, I explained identity thieves don?t just target the wealthy or the elderly. Anyone can fall victim.

A study recently released by the Council of Better Business Bureaus and Javelin Research discovered the average victim of identity theft spends 40 hours resolving the problems caused by this fraud. Keep this in mind if you consider having to take a few steps to help protect your identity an inconvenience.

Shred all credit card offers, personal papers, bank statements, pay stubs and anything else you plan to throw away that thieves can use to obtain personal information. Don?t carry any more credit cards than you need and never carry Social Security cards, birth certificates, passports and other such documents except when absolutely necessary. Never give out any personal information such as your Social Security number or bank account number to anyone for any reason that contacts you by phone or e-mail

For more tips on preventing identity theft or for information on a business, check with the BBB at www.goBBB.org, our consumer line: (615) 242-4222, or call (615) 867-0032.