MAY 2019 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 17
POINT OF VIEW
IDENTITY THEFT GUARDING FINANCIAL DNA
By MADELINE SINGAS
Nassau County District Attorney
The ever-growing problem of identity
theft impacts thousands of Americans
annually.
Last month, my office took down one
of the largest identity theft rings ever
on Long Island. Five individuals allegedly
stole hundreds of identities in
an attempt to steal nearly $1 million.
Personal data — your financial DNA
— has tremendous value for such
thieves. With a few data points, a
criminal can build a credit profile
and use that information to acquire
loans in your name.
In this case, the alleged mastermind,
who owned a credit repair service,
utilized publicly available lists of
employees of school districts, medical
institutions, and other organizations.
He assumed that they were persons
of means or had good credit scores.
Using those identities, he allegedly
purchased information on more
than 500 identities on the dark web
for approximately $4 per identity.
Using that and other information,
he then ran credit reports in those
names to verify their creditworthiness.
If the victim’s credit was better
than 680, he then used their identities
to apply for loans at a credit union.
My office, with assistance from the
U.S. Postal Inspection Service and
local credit unions, stopped these
defendants before they did more
damage to unsuspecting victims.
Our easy access to credit cards, online
banking, and mail-order retailers has
made our world more convenient. It
has also made us more vulnerable.
Often, you may not be aware that
someone has stolen your identity and
used it to commit fraud, typically by
falsifying your credentials to open
new accounts in your name or by
using your existing accounts.
So how can you protect yourself and
your loved ones from being a victim
of identity theft?
Order a free credit report at annualcreditreport.
com or by calling 1-877-
322-8228. The Fair Credit Reporting
Act requires that each of the three
major nationwide credit reporting
companies provide you with a free
credit report, at your request, once
every 12 months.
Obtaining your own credit report
doesn’t affect your credit score. By
requesting one of the three reports
every four months, you can see the
status of your credit on a continuing
basis.
We encourage people to not only look
at what credit has been extended, but
also which inquiries/applications
have been made in their names.
The earlier you catch an irregularity
on your credit report, the earlier you
can rectify it and prevent fraud.
"Personal data has tremendous value for such thieves."
Ronald Fatoullah & Associates
Congratulates Our Two Honorees
Stacey Meshnick, Esq.
has been an integral part of
Ronald Fatoullah & Associates
for 23 years. She is the
supervisor of the Medicaid
department, oversees the
company newsletter, and is a
committed advocate for her
clients and all senior citizens.
Debby Rosenfeld, Esq.
recently celebrated her 15th
anniversary with the firm. After
practicing as a tax attorney for many
years, Debby decided to enter the
field of elder law and has been a
staunch advocate for seniors and
their families in the areas of elder
law, estate planning and real estate.
ELDER LAW I ESTATE PLANNING I MEDICAID PLANNING
PROBATE I WILLS & TRUSTS I GUARDIANSHIPS
SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING I ESTATE LITIGATION
LONG ISLAND - QUEENS - MANHATTAN - BROOKLYN
1-877-ELDER LAW - 1-877-ESTATES
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