Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

A report of an unknown woman going through recycle bins in the 5500 block of Berkeley Boulevard earlier this month is a reminder that – even when you throw something in the trash – it can still be seen.

Whitefish Bay Police Chief Michael Young is urging residents to be careful about what they throw in the trash. If sensitive financial information falls into the wrong hands, they could fall victim to identity theft.

"Anything with personal identifiers – names, dates of birth, social security numbers - should be shredded," Young said. "Your most precious possession is your identity, and you don't want that taken. It's just a mess trying to clean that up."

Whitefish Bay police have received an identity theft report as recently as April 19. In that incident, an unknown subject attempted to file an unauthorized tax return using a Whitefish Bay resident's Social Security number.

For more information on preventing and recovering from identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft Resource Center or the U.S. Department of Justice website.