During the last two weeks of May 2018, APD was notified by at least six separate victims regarding Verizon phone accounts opened in their names.  In all but one of the cases, each of the victims received at least one new iPhone delivered to their home along with a bill for a Verizon phone account.  None of the victims were Verizon customers and none had ordered the phones.  In the sixth case the victim did not receive a phone but did receive a Verizon phone bill.
 
All of the victims verified with Verizon that someone had opened an account with their correct name, date of birth, and social security number. 
 
Should you receive a cell phone and/or bill from Verizon that you should not have, do not use the phone.  Please file an on-line report with APD at www.muni.org/police.  Also notify Verizon of the fraud so the account may be closed.
 
Whether or not you’ve been a victim of identity theft or fraud, it is a good idea to keep an eye on your credit report along with your monthly credit card statements.  At least one of the Verizon victims noticed a credit check on their credit history that they had not asked for; the credit check occurred just prior to the victim receiving an iPhone they had not ordered.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adversal-468×60″]
 
There are a variety of ways a person’s identity can be stolen. One of the main ways is a result of people leaving purses, wallets, and personal documents in vehicles.  These items are being stolen from the cars and then subsequently used to commit credit card fraud and identity theft/fraud.  Do not leave anything of value in your vehicle. 

Unless you need the documents for a specific purpose such as buying a house, do not carry your social security card or birth certificate with you.  Those items should be left at home in a secure place.  If you carry a purse or wallet, make sure you keep them on your person and do not leave them unsecured anywhere to include a shopping cart or an unlocked drawer at your workplace. 

Source: APD

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