Mail stolen from 56 residents recovered

Stolen mail belonging to 56 Fallbrook residents and property from a residential burglary on Cottontail Lane was recovered recently from the Escondido home of 35-year-old Janell Monet, Sheriff’s Detective Theresa Adams-Hydar says.

Adams-Hydar says Monet and Kristy Dominick, 33, were passing fraudulent checks from Valley Center and Escondido when Dominick cashed one at Bonsall Village Market, leading the Sheriff’s team to where Monet was hiding out in Ramona.

“We arrested Monet in Ramona for check fraud and possession of stolen property; we also had a postal inspector there for the mail theft charges,” Adams-Hydar said. “We found out where Dominick was and we went to Escondido and arrested her.” Both women are being held on fraud and theft charges.

“The Postal Inspector was given all the stolen mail so the rightful owners could be notified,” Adams-Hydar said. “The Post Office will contact all victims involved in the case.”

Perhaps the biggest mail theft in Fallbrook’s recent history, Adams-Hydar said Fallbrook is an open target for this type of problem. “It was obvious that these people targeted rural areas with mailboxes that don’t lock and areas where groups of boxes are located away from homes,” Adams-Hydar explained.

Law enforcement authorities agree that mail theft can be the first step toward identity theft, an increasing problem nationwide. At the October 24 meeting of the Fallbrook Citizen’s Crime Prevention/Neighborhood Rehab Committee meeting, organizers brought in a speaker to talk about how residents can better protect themselves against these types of crimes.

“[Criminals] don’t have to leave their house anymore to commit crime,” said Terry Jensen, Commander of the County District Attorney’s Computer and Technology Crime High-Tech Response Team (CATCH). Jensen was referring to the simplicity of stealing identities in today’s high-tech world while speaking to an audience of about 100 Fallbrook residents.

Despite the fact that California leads the country with these types of crimes, said Jensen, “The legal system has yet to catch up to those of us who have been the victim of identity theft.”

He estimated that it takes about 1,400 hours of work to restore the credit damage of a victim but noted that “nothing” is being done to replace the stolen money. “It is a huge problem.”

One piece of comfort he provided was the safety of online banking, which he uses. But Jensen cautioned against a form or e-mail asking for personal information and claiming to be your bank, with the reasoning of updating information. “Banks are not going to lose your information. If they do, change banks.”

He then referred to the red flags on mailboxes as “Steal me flags” because they often contain personal checks. A thief can take those and wash them through a liquid that will remove the ink, enabling him to rewrite the check as he wishes. Jensen recommended using gel pens whose ink cannot be washed in this way.

Cross-cut shredders are a good way to protect one’s identity. Jensen said he has seen many cases where criminals will take the thin strips of shredded paper created by a shredder that does not crosscut and spend hours matching them up to obtain information.

Jensen also pointed out that people should “limit what you carry.” It is not necessary to carry a Social Security card in one’s wallet and it is a valuable piece of information a criminal can use if the wallet is stolen.

If you feel you have been a victim of identity theft or fraud, contact law enforcement or visit http://www.ftc.gov and click on “For Consumers,” then “Identity Theft.”

How do thieves get my information?

• They go through your trashcan, looking for straight cut or un-shredded papers.

• They steal your mail or your wallet.

• They listen in on conversations you have in public.

• They trick you into giving them the information over the telephone or by email.

• They buy the information either on the Internet or from someone who might have stolen it.

• They steal it from a loan or credit application form you filled out or from files at a hospital, bank, school or business that you deal with. They may have obtained it from dumpsters outside of such companies.

• They get it from your computer, especially those without firewalls.

• They may be a friend or relative or someone who works for you who has access to your information.

Tips to Businesses:

It is vital that the business community acts now to implement and follow better information handling processes. ITRC does provide in-depth consulting for those companies who wish to use our services. The following areas need to be considered when measuring your information handling security. More information can be found at our section called “In the Workplace.”

• Information acquisition- Do you need the information? Are you acquiring it in a safe manner?

• Storage- What computer security measures have you placed around the systems storing personal data? It should considered highly classified and not common access.

• Access- Who has access? Is it on a need to know basis and access audited? Is there password control over systems? Is there a cafeteria worker asking your child for his/her SSN prior to receiving lunch? Did you do a background check on those who have access to personal information of employees and customers? Do temps have access to secure info?

• Disposal- Are electronic and paper documents containing personal information rendered unreadable prior to disposal? What is in your dumpster? Is it a treasure chest for thieves and for consumer action attorneys ready to sue you for placing their clients in jeopardy?

• Distribution- How do your handle information? Is your employee requiring a member of the public to repeat a SSN out loud where it can be overheard? The public display, use and exchange of SSN (including on membership cards carried in wallets) needs to be reconsidered. You place people at much higher risk when you do so.

Other tips:

• Fraud and security alerts placed on credit reports must be honored. If a consumer requests that they be called prior to opening a credit card, do so.

• Businesses that print out cash register receipts need to make sure that credit card numbers are partially truncated to help consumers avoid credit card takeover.

• Mail sent to the public either should not include account information or SSN. At the least, truncating part of the number should be considered.

Tips to Consumers:

How can I prevent becoming an identity theft victim? While no one can totally prevent this crime from occurring, here are some positive steps to take which will decrease your risk.

• Check your credit reports once a year from all three of the credit reporting agencies listed below.

• Guard your Social Security number. When possible, don't carry your Social Security card with you.

• Don't put your SSN or drivers license number on your checks.

• Guard your personal information. You should never give your Social Security number to anyone unless they have a good reason for needing it.

• Watch for people who may try to eavesdrop and overhear the information you give out orally.

• Carefully destroy papers you throw out, especially those with sensitive or identifying information. A crosscut paper shredder works best.

• Be suspicious of telephone solicitors. Never provide information unless you have initiated the call.

• Delete without replying to any suspicious email requests. Check our Scam Alert page for recent problem areas.

• Use a locked mailbox to send and receive all mail.

• Reduce the number of pre-approved credit card offers you receive -888-5OPT OUT (they will ask for your SSN)

• If you live in a state that allows credit freezes you may choose this option. Visit http://www.consumersunion.org/campaigns/learn_more/003484indiv.html to learn more.

Source: http://www.idtheftcenter.org/preventiontips.shtml