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Protecting Your Identity
Bruce Kopp/Eyewitness News
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Indianapolis, Feb. 24 - Reeda Kindred became an identity theft victim the old fashioned way when somebody broke into her car as she played volleyball on the Indianapolis north side.
"Thirty minutes after I turned off my car, whoever stole my purse was already shopping."
In half an hour the thief ran up $6,000 in charges. Reeda spent two days away from her job notifying creditors and replacing her driver's license and other ID.
In Reeda's case she knew immediately she was a victim.
But that is not the case for 2,300 Hoosiers who had their Social Security numbers and credit reports stolen through ChoicePoint. The agency estimates nearly 145,000 people nationwide are affected.
Indiana is one of 38 states taking action. The attorney general is insisting that ChoicePoint notify all customers who may be affected by the security breach.
"Upon receiving our request, Choicepoint has decided to notify all of the potential victims in Indiana," says Attorney General Steve Carter.
The attorney general's office features an identity theft victim's kit on its web site.
Reeda Kindred knew what to do thanks to a recently provided benefit through her employer, identity theft insurance coverage, which has saved her about $900. "With the time lost from work, that's the big factor."
Yet for others without such coverage, the average cost can come to $1,400 and hundreds of hours to restore their credit record.
Carter says the key is protecting your information, "because once you have become a victim, it's going to be a lot of hassle, it's going to be a lot of time and may even be costly to get your good name restored."
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