Identity Theft in Arkansas
The repercussions of identity theft can range from embarrassment to serious legal and financial injury. Assess your risk, safeguard your identity, and hire an attorney in Arkansas if your identity gets stolen.
According to WalletHub, Arkansas ranked 14th in the US for identity theft and fraud. However, Arkansas was one of five states with the lowest average lost amount due to online identity theft. According to KAIT TV, a Jonesboro, Arkansas woman was recently charged with identity fraud after stealing mail. Specifically, she stole mail that contained credit cards, bank statements, birth certificates, W-2s, and other sensitive information. She was charged with multiple felonies, including financial identity fraud, in Craighead County District Court.
What Is Identity Theft?
Identity theft is one of the most common crimes in the modern world. Criminals are constantly finding new ways to steal your information. These crimes involve the fraudulent use of components of your identity, such as SSNs, driver’s licenses, or credit cards.
Identity thieves can use your information to open financial accounts, file fraudulent tax returns, make unauthorized purchases, or even access medical care under your insurance—often before you realize it. While dealing with customer service departments can help address some issues, a skilled attorney can expedite the process. In many cases, legal assistance is essential to hold companies accountable and recover your losses effectively.
How Does Identity Theft Happen in Arkansas?
Identity theft can happen in many ways. Hackers are constantly advancing their data-stealing techniques. However, there are some long-standing causes of identity theft that every consumer should be aware of:
- Data Breaches – Companies often store personal financial information for subscriptions, auto-pay, or express checkout. Hackers can break into these companies’ servers and extract the personal information of thousands of people at a time.
- ATM or Card Skimmers – Hackers can place devices called skimmers that read your card’s information when you use it. The most common places for skimmers to are in ATM devices or at gas pumps. Some have even found their way into convenience stores and pharmacies.
- Digital Malware and Viruses – Hackers can access your information through phishing, fake websites, and file-sharing networks. You should always be vigilant when receiving emails from questionable accounts or when browsing online. Often, hackers will disguise their phishing attempts as recognizable brands or platforms.
- Physical Theft – Thieves can access your personal information by stealing your mail, purse, or wallet.
- Change Of Address – Another creative way hackers can steal your information is by changing your address with different services you use. Once the mail reroutes to the new address, they can access the information that would normally be sent to your real address.
- Public WiFi – While public WiFi networks are convenient, they rarely encrypt the connection. Most competent hackers can break into public networks and remotely access devices connected to them. Only use public WiFi networks if necessary, and always with a VPN.
What Are Some Identity Theft Laws?
Arkansas statute differentiates between financial and non-financial identity fraud. Specifically, financial identity fraud is a Class C felony, while non-financial identity fraud is a Class D felony. Both crimes are charged more harshly if the victim is a senior or disabled person. In that case, financial identity theft increases to a Class B felony, and non-financial identity fraud increases to a Class C felony. Perpetrators can face up to twenty years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines, depending on the severity of the charge.
How Can I Detect Identity Theft?
Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if your identity has become compromised. However, if you are vigilant with your passwords and online presence, you can become aware of several signs that point to identity theft. Be on the lookout for the following:
- Any questionable activity you don’t recognize regarding your existing accounts
- Deposits, purchases, credit alerts, etc.
- No longer receiving mail at your primary address
- Calls or letters from debt collectors about debts you never personally incurred
- Unfamiliar charges on your accounts or new accounts you never opened
- Bills for services you never received, such as medical care
- Letter from the IRS regarding duplicate tax returns in your name
- News from a company you have done business with about a data breach
- A sudden and unexplained drop or increase in your credit score
How Do I Recover From Identity Fraud in Arkansas?
The first thing you can do is immediately contact your financial institutions and suspend any compromised cards. Some companies also allow you to block any further usage directly from their app.
The next step would be to contact the institutions where you have discrepancies. If you see suspicious transactions, reach out to the places or services where they occurred. Additionally, close any accounts or cancel any subscriptions that may have become compromised.
The Arkansas Attorney General (AAG) recommends taking the following steps if you are a victim of identity theft:
- File an identity theft report with your local law enforcement agency
- Request an identity theft passport and/or fraud affidavit from the AAG
- File an identity theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission or call 877-438-4338
- File a fraud alert with one of the three national credit bureaus and place a security freeze on your credit report
- Close all accounts that have been opened fraudulently
You should also consider a credit monitoring account if you don’t already have one. These services provide oversight on your credit accounts and alert you when there is suspicious activity. You can either temporarily freeze the account or close it out entirely. An experienced Arkansas attorney can also help you right some of the wrongs you encounter along the way.
Identity Theft Protections
Always take proactive steps to protect yourself from identity theft. To many, some of these steps may seem like common sense. However, it’s surprising how often people disclose personal information without a second thought. We recommend you take the following precautions to avoid someone stealing your identity:
- Do not respond to any unsolicited requests asking for personal information.
- Do not click any suspicious links in unsolicited emails.
- Enable all security and two-step verification protocols on your electronic devices.
- Use complex passwords and change them frequently.
- Install any firewall and malware detection software on your electronic devices.
- Properly shred or tear up any documents with personal or financial information before discarding them in the trash.
Work with an Experienced Local Lawyer in Arkansas
Are you facing financial or legal complications related to an identity theft issue in Arkansas? If that’s the case, we can help connect you with the right attorney to help you resolve these problems, before they spiral out of control. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Arkansas state lines.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
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