Georgia Consumer's Guide to Identity Theft
(Separate Website)
We have become an information society. With the right information, a scam artist can access your credit card, your checking account, and even your savings account and use them as if the accounts were his own.
When a person steals information about you, whether he uses that information to take your money or not, he has committed a crime against you. Identity theft is the act of "stealing" or using another person’s personal and/or financial information for personal gain. Personal and financial information includes your driver's license number, social security number, credit card number, bank account information, personal identification number (PIN) for Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) and calling cards, date of birth and even your mother's maiden name.
By: Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs
Identity Theft
(Separate Website)
How can someone steal your identity? Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years - and their hard-earned money - cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, are refused loans, education, housing or cars, or even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number
(Separate Website)
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. When a dishonest person has your Social Security number, the thief can use it to get other personal information about you. Most of the time identity thieves use your number and your good credit to apply for more credit in your name. Then, they use the credit cards and do not pay the bills. You do not find out that someone is using your number until you are turned down for credit, or you begin to get calls from unknown creditors demanding payment for items you never bought.
By: Social Security Administration
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
,
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
Your Social Security Number and Card
(Separate Website)
A Social Security number is important because you need it to get a job, collect Social Security benefits and receive some other government benefits. Many other companies you do business with, such as banks and credit companies, also ask for your number.
By: Social Security Administration
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Privacy Issues
Consumer Privacy Issues - FTC Web Site
(Separate Website)
Advances in computer technology have made it possible for detailed information about people to be compiled and shared more easily and cheaply than ever. That's good for society as a whole and individual consumers. For example, it is easier for law enforcement to track down criminals, for banks to prevent fraud, and for consumers to learn about new products and services, allowing them to make better-informed purchasing decisions. At the same time, as personal information becomes more accessible, each of us - companies, associations, government agencies, and consumers - must take precautions to protect against the misuse of that information. The Federal Trade Commission is educating consumers and businesses about the importance of personal information privacy. Read more about our efforts, what we've learned, and what you can do to protect the privacy of your personal information.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Privacy: Tips for Protecting Your Personal Information
(Separate Website)
Every day you share personal information about yourself with others. It's so routine that you may not even realize you're doing it. You may write a check at the grocery store, charge tickets to a ball game, rent a car, mail your tax returns, buy a gift online, call home on your cell phone, schedule a doctor's appointment or apply for a credit card. Each transaction requires you to share personal information: your bank and credit card account numbers; your income; your Social Security number (SSN); or your name, address and phone numbers.
By: The Federal Trade Commission
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
(Separate Website)
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) is a nonprofit consumer organization with a two-part mission -- consumer information and consumer advocacy. It was established in 1992 and is based in San Diego, California. It is primarily grant-supported and serves individuals nationwide.
The PRC's goals are to:
Raise consumers' awareness of how technology affects personal privacy.
Empower consumers to take action to control their own personal information by providing practical tips on privacy protection.
Respond to specific privacy-related complaints from consumers, intercede on their behalf, and, when appropriate, refer them to the proper organizations for further assistance.
Document the nature of consumers' complaints and questions about privacy in reports, testimony, and speeches and make them available to policy makers, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and the media.
Advocate for consumers' privacy rights in local, state, and federal public policy proceedings, including legislative testimony, regulatory agency hearings, task forces, and study commissions as well as conferences and workshops.
By: The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Consumer Information and Rights
Consumer Law: Legal Issues on the Internet
(Separate Website)
The Internet has become ubiquitous in American life. It raises number of consumer-protection issues that can be addressed here.
By: American Bar Association
Steps YOU can take to protect yourself as a consumer!
(Separate Website)
10 steps you can take to avoid getting ripped off.
By: Barnes Law Group
Fast Facts on Consumer Rights
(Separate Website)
Quick tips on your rights in certain consumer issues
By: Barnes Law Group
Copyright and Use Notice
This material is copyrighted by either Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc. ("Legal Aid") or Georgia Legal Services Program ("GLSP"). Legal information can change rapidly. Provided links are kept updated, permission is given to link to this material from a nonprofit, court or government website. Website material may be printed, copied and distributed only in its original format for non-commercial, informational purposes. The material may not be altered from its original format. Reproducing the material to promote a commercial purpose is expressly prohibited. Commercial enterprises are expressly forbidden from linking to our material or using our material in other ways. Legal Aid and GLSP are not liable for the distribution of out-of-date material or links. To inquire about appropriate use of this material, please contact 404-524-5811.
Information Not Legal Advice
LegalAid-GA.org provides general information only. This is not legal advice and cannot replace legal advice. You can get legal advice only from a lawyer. Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Viewing this web site or sending an e-mail message through this web site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship.
LegalAid-GA is a project of Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Georgia Legal Services Program and the Pro Bono Project of the State Bar of Georgia. The project is funded by the Legal Services Corporation and the Georgia Access to Justice Project.
