|
SEPTEMBER 7, 2004
Mesa State Community Education Center to Offer
Identity Theft Class
Grand Junction, CO - According to FBI statistics, identity
theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. Identity
thieves can strike anyone at any time. It is increasingly important
to know how you can protect yourself from becoming a victim and
having your good name used for illegal purposes.
Identity thieves are finding identity pickings easy. With just
a bit of information about you - Social Security number or address,
for example - the rest is a snap for them to find or create. According
to the Federal Trade Commission, nearly 10 million Americans are
hit by identity theft each year. In 2003, Colorado ranked 8th in
the United States for reported identity theft crimes, striking 3,698
victims.
On average, most identity theft victims don't know their identity
has been stolen until more than a year later, when they get turned
down for a job or can't get credit due to information on their credit
report that isn't theirs. This crime has devastating consequences
for its victims. It takes time to close bad accounts and open new
ones and repair wrecked credit records. There are significant out-of-pocket
expenses to clear their good names. They may be denied jobs, education,
housing, car and other loans. They may also be arrested for crimes
they didn't commit.
There is no 100 percent guaranteed way to protect yourself from
identity theft. However, there are things you can do to lessen your
risk. The Mesa State Community Education Center, located on the
Tilman M. Bishop Unified Technical Education Campus, is offering
the class, "Identity Theft - The Silent Stalker," on September
28, from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. This class will arm you with the
information you need to protect yourself from the crime of identity
theft. You will also learn what to do if it happens to you. The
class includes a presentation by a Grand Junction police officer.
The cost is $29 and registration is limited to 25 people.
"Identity Theft -The Silent Stalker," will be presented
by Barbara Avery, a Grand Valley National Bank officer. She has
seen the dire effects that identity theft has on its victims. Each
class participant will receive a free copy of the Federal Trade
Commission's 2000 publication, "ID THEFT - When Bad Things
Happen to Your Good Name."
For additional information, contact the Mesa State Community Education
Center at 970.255.2800.
###
|
