Local man victim of identity theft

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November 26, 2008

By Keith Gushard The Meadville Tribune Wed Nov 26, 2008, 10:22 PM EST

Richard Nicol considers himself lucky even though he’s out about $400.

“Never in my lifetime did I think I’d be the victim of identity theft,” the 70-year-old Meadville resident said.

Nicol discovered Monday about $400 in unauthorized spending on gift certificates for Apple’s iTunes store using the debit card number linked to his checking account at Meadville Area Federal Credit Union. He discovered the deductions while checking his account online.

Nicol contacted the credit union Monday to cancel the card, but the money can’t be refunded since it was linked to his checking account and already withdrawn.

Nicol isn’t sure how his account number may have been obtained, but said it may have been through a transaction at a merchant.

“Debit cards can be marvelous and they can be devastating,” said Nicol. “I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll take the time to write the checks.”

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett is urging consumers to be cautious about identity theft during the holidays.

His office offers a number of tips to avoid identity theft:

n Review all credit card and bank statements as soon as they arrive and contact your bank or card company immediately if you discover any unauthorized charges.

n Keep your personal information in a safe location (only carry the credit cards and other items that you need to make a purchase).

n Shred all unwanted credit card and other financial “junk” mail.

n Don’t give personal information over the phone or by e-mail to a request or sale you didn’t initiate. Identity thieves may pose as representatives of banks, Internet service providers and even government agencies to get you to reveal information.

n Check your credit history regularly. Every consumer is entitled to one free credit report each year from the three major credit bureaus. Space out a report requests from each of the bureaus to spot potential problems over the course of a year.

Keith Gushard can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.

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Local man victim of identity theft

A clean-energy plan to use solar energy in eastern Pennsylvania has been met with resistance, even by environmental groups. Do you think solar energy has a future as a valuable energy source in Pennsylvania?

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