Even in Death Your Identity Is Not Safe

Gregory Victor Revson, 49, of Islamorada, FL received his sentence for convictions of identity theft and passport fraud.  In 2006 and 2008 Revson had fraudulently applied for and received passports for deceased persons.  At the time of his arrest, Revson had a thumb drive in his possession containing the names, addresses, SSN's of hundreds of deceased.  Apparently he thought that his scheme was working well.

Revson received a sentence of 75 month with an additional 14 months added to his sentence for violating the terms of supervised release related to a previous 2002 conviction for identity theft and wire fraud.

Just because you've died doesn't mean that you can't become a victim of identity theft.  That is just one more thing for your loved ones to have to worry about after you're gone is the risk of identity theft.

Identity Thieves Stealing Your Mail

Identity theft is an increasing concern as we hear of nightmarish ordeals that some people must endure when their identity is stolen. In some cases, these crooks are getting smarter and more sophisticated with their scams, but in other situations -- which is good for us -- these types aren't playing too wisely.

Take the example of this theft: On August 8th, 2009 in Manteca, California, two young adults -- a male and female -- broke into an apartment complex and then proceeded to steal from the tenants' mailboxes. But the big kicker -- there was a warning that they were being videotaped. The authorities are confident they'll catch these criminals. Not too bright I'd say. You can read the report and view the videotape here: Manteca Mail Theft Caught on Camera
What can we do personally to protect ourselves from mail theft?

1. Use a Mailbox with a Lock. That's a significant start. It's not a sure guarantee but will definitely deter some. And of course, keep your mailbox locked at all times and have a limited number of keys. Remember, you can have valuable data for the thief on bank and credit card statements and even personal letters may give away some detailed information about you.
2. Collect Mail after Delivery, within reason. If you are going on vacation, put a hold on your mail. It's a simple process and in most places can de done online. Or even have a neighbor pick it up for you.
3. Use Ink that's Check-Safe. Cleaning products can erase some inks and then the thief has one of your blank checks in his hands with your signature. Use pens -- such as gel, rollerball and fountain -- that clearly state they are check-safe. Fill in all the empty spaces on your check such as the date and memo line. And finally, go to the post office with your checks. Locked mailboxes are pretty secure but the hands of a postal worker is even a safer bet.
4. Keep Good Records. This will enable you to identity any unauthorized activity in your accounts. You may not be able to avoid mail being stolen and information taken, but with good records the damage can be minimized. Identity Theft recovery programs can also be set up that will serve this same purpose.

If we're informed we can play with the wisest of the thieves and beat them at their own game. As far as those more dense ones, we'll let the videorecordings take the credit.