Your passport may be a vital part of doing business or a vital
part of pursuing your dreams, but don't ever forget that it is also a
vital part of your identity that can linked to your accounts and your
credit. It's more difficult to travel using a stolen passport since
September 11, 2001 but all passport thieves aren't interested in using
your passport to be on the move. Identity thieves want to move your
money instead.
Stolen Passports
Around 3,000 blank British passports were stolen from a hijacked security van. The Foreign officers insisted that a blank isn't usable for crossing borders but others warned that they have other criminal uses. Former Scotland Yard officer, Tom Craig, who now specializes in identity theft says that that really depends on the border. "If an expert knows what the new passports should look like and they have the technology, then they will find the mistakes," said Craig. "But how do you know if it's good or bad if you don't know those details?" So what might thieves do with stolen passports? "People will open up bank accounts, get work and pose as British citizens in outside countries. This is a serious, critical situation," says Craig. Black market prices for stolen passports have been reported to be as high as $3,400.00. If criminals are willing to pay that much for a stolen passport then we can be sure they plan to make a profit from it.
Did you know? The U.S. issues close 600,000 passports every three months.
If Your Passport is Lost or Stolen 101:
If your passport is lost or stolen you must you must contact the issuing authority immediately and it is also recommended that you file a police report as well. If your passport is stolen in another country you should also contact the U.S. embassy. Generally a passport can be replaced within a reasonable amount of time, usually 24 hours, if you can prove your citizenship and identity.
What you should have available, and this is key, stored separately from your passport-
* a copy of your driver's license
* a copy of your birth certificate
*passport fees as normal fees will apply
*phone numbers and address for the U.S. Department of State (202) 955-0430.
Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20036
Other requests that may be made to reissue a passport:
*an interview
*an interview with traveling companions
* a statement of how your passport was lost or stolen
* possibly interviews with friends and family from home
* a copy of a police report.
With the rising concerns of illegal immigration, terrorism and identity theft, reporting a lost or stolen passport is vital. Australia created the Australian Passport Act in 2005 to increase vigilance over protecting passports. It is an offense to not report a lost or stolen passport and additional fees may apply on top of application fees. Once reported stolen a passport will be cancelled and anyone using a cancelled passport will face up to 10 years of prison or a fine of $110,000 or both. If your passport is missing don't make the mistake of assuming that no one else can use it. Like your social security number, your passport can be used to steal your identity and your credit and you may have to figuratively go around the world and back to undo the damage an identity thief with a passport can do.
Stolen Passports
Around 3,000 blank British passports were stolen from a hijacked security van. The Foreign officers insisted that a blank isn't usable for crossing borders but others warned that they have other criminal uses. Former Scotland Yard officer, Tom Craig, who now specializes in identity theft says that that really depends on the border. "If an expert knows what the new passports should look like and they have the technology, then they will find the mistakes," said Craig. "But how do you know if it's good or bad if you don't know those details?" So what might thieves do with stolen passports? "People will open up bank accounts, get work and pose as British citizens in outside countries. This is a serious, critical situation," says Craig. Black market prices for stolen passports have been reported to be as high as $3,400.00. If criminals are willing to pay that much for a stolen passport then we can be sure they plan to make a profit from it.
Did you know? The U.S. issues close 600,000 passports every three months.
If Your Passport is Lost or Stolen 101:
If your passport is lost or stolen you must you must contact the issuing authority immediately and it is also recommended that you file a police report as well. If your passport is stolen in another country you should also contact the U.S. embassy. Generally a passport can be replaced within a reasonable amount of time, usually 24 hours, if you can prove your citizenship and identity.
What you should have available, and this is key, stored separately from your passport-
* a copy of your driver's license
* a copy of your birth certificate
*passport fees as normal fees will apply
*phone numbers and address for the U.S. Department of State (202) 955-0430.
Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20036
Other requests that may be made to reissue a passport:
*an interview
*an interview with traveling companions
* a statement of how your passport was lost or stolen
* possibly interviews with friends and family from home
* a copy of a police report.
With the rising concerns of illegal immigration, terrorism and identity theft, reporting a lost or stolen passport is vital. Australia created the Australian Passport Act in 2005 to increase vigilance over protecting passports. It is an offense to not report a lost or stolen passport and additional fees may apply on top of application fees. Once reported stolen a passport will be cancelled and anyone using a cancelled passport will face up to 10 years of prison or a fine of $110,000 or both. If your passport is missing don't make the mistake of assuming that no one else can use it. Like your social security number, your passport can be used to steal your identity and your credit and you may have to figuratively go around the world and back to undo the damage an identity thief with a passport can do.
Lisa Carey is a contributing author for Identity Theft Secrets: prevention and protection.
You can get tips on Identity theft protection, software, and monitoring
your credit as well as learn more about the secrets used by identity
thieves at the Identity Theft Secrets blog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Carey
