October Marks Crime Prevention Month, Identity Theft is #1 Crime

2008-10-01 21:40:01 -

www.lifelock.com - As the number one crime in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, identity theft is a force to be reckoned with. This fast-growing crime is costing an estimated nine million Americans more than $1.2 billion annually. Most identity theft victims then spend countless hours trying to clean up the mess--three or more months on average, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). With October designated as National Crime Prevention Month, what better time for consumers to start educating themselves on the crime and how to effectively steer clear of it.

"At LifeLock, we feel strongly that consumers should be fully aware of the ways in which they are vulnerable to identity theft, along with the necessary steps they can take to protect themselves from it. National Crime Prevention Month is a time for experts in the field of identity theft to educate consumers so that we can all work together to lessen the damage inflicted by this crime," says LifeLock CEO Todd Davis.

The state of Arizona has declared Identity Theft Awareness Week, October 13 - 17. During this week and Crime Prevention Month, LifeLock is teaming up with the FBI's Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA) to educate law enforcement throughout the state of Arizona. LifeLock will use this week as a way to further educate consumers on identity theft and empower them to start protecting themselves from the nation's number one crime.

By now, most people have seen it on the news, heard about it from friends and family, and have undoubtedly seen the advertisements, but what can consumers do to proactively protect themselves from identity theft? Here are just some of LifeLock's recommended, up-to-date pointers for consumers to consider when protecting their good name:

-- Stay ahead of the game - If your personal information is breached by a company, do not rely on credit monitoring services as a solution. These services only alert you once you already have a problem and do nothing to keep a thief from using your information.

-- When personal information goes public - Contact your local recorder's office to find out if public records are available online and if any of the records contain social security numbers. If a record exists, you can request for your number to be redacted.

-- Don't neglect your mortgage credit - If you own a home, check with your mortgage holder on a regular basis to ensure your home-equity line-of-credit has not had any fraudulent activity.

-- Call the police - Should you notice any fraudulent transactions in your bank or credit accounts or discover that you are a victim of identity theft, be sure to notify local law enforcement and file a police report. Without a report you will be unable to place a free credit freeze with the credit bureaus or be eligible for extended fraud alerts.

-- Remove it or lose it - Take your social security card out of your wallet. Set aside a few minutes to memorize your number, and then you can keep that sensitive card at home, locked away in a secure place.

About LifeLock(R)

Founded in 2005, LifeLock works to close many of the doors identity thieves go through to misuse personal information. Closing in on 1.5 million members, LifeLock has earned multiple awards, including the Red Herring 100 Global Award as one of the Top 100 start-ups in the world. LifeLock was the recipient of two American Business Awards for advertising in 2008, and most recently, garnered an additional award honor for advertising from the International Business Awards. LifeLock representatives are available to assist members 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the company's secure facility in Tempe, Ariz. LifeLock (www.lifelock.com) is a private company backed by Goldman Sachs, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, as well as Bessemer Venture Partners.

LifeLock
Jason Ovitt, Executive Director, Public Relations
480-307-1909
Jason.ovitt@lifelock.com