Helping Hand
Do you know how to help residents who are victims of identity theft?
Even the most careful landlord cannot guarantee that residents will not become victims of identity theft, says author and consultant Robert Siciliano. But property managers can take steps to help residents protect themselves from a crime that claims upward of 10 million victims a year, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Inform residents that maintenance crews and other staff may enter their apartments with passkeys.
- Advise tenants to keep their Social Security cards, bank statements, and other personal information in a locked file cabinet or a safe inside their apartments.
- Offer regular security briefings at which property staff or local police remind residents how to secure their personal infor-mation so they don’t become victims of identity theft.
- Encourage tenants to buy renters insurance that comes with identity theft coverage. Some insurers will assign a caseworker in case of identity theft so the victims don’t have to spend time and money restoring their good credit.
- Remind residents that despite reports of identity theft rings, most identities are stolen by dishonest individuals whose own credit is in peril. Frequently, the thief is a relative or roommate.
- Provide contact information to residents who want to report identity theft or learn more about how to protect themselves. The Federal Trade Commission this spring launched a new Web site, www.consumer. gov/idtheft/, to promote its AvoID Theft: Deter, Detect, Defend campaign.
