by Cathy Slade

A crime that many of us had never worried about in the past is identity theft. With the advent of internet purchasing, everyone is using their Social Security numbers and credit cards as never before. Twenty years ago we assumed that our Social Security number was safe no matter who we gave it to. Now, we must be very careful, as it is the key to our financial safety and security.

Coming to light over the past few years, have been many high-profile cases of people having their identities stolen, and the perpetrators racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt to the unsuspecting victim. This is happening in Boston on a much broader scale also. Credit card companies have become much more vigilant, but it is up to each individual to protect themselves.

According to a recent article in the "Boston Herald," Attorney General Tom Riley is proposing legislation to toughen identity theft laws. He stated that, "Identity Theft is the number one threat facing consumers." Because it is so easy for people to move from state to state and because criminal cases get delayed or do not get prosecuted, he urged the federal government to toughen its identity theft laws. State Rep. Paul Casey and State Sen. Charles Shannon have filed a bill that would impose higher penalties for identity theft and would streamline the process of prosecuting out-of-state felons.

First Justice Kathleen E. Coffey of the West Roxbury District Court has designed a program to combat this crime. She stated, "The program was designed in an effort to increase awareness, detection, and prevention of identity theft." It is part of "Reinventing Justice," a community service component of the court. "We saw an alarming increase in the number of identity theft cases in our jurisdiction. The crime did not just include defendant," said Judge Coffey. Always looking for ways to reduce crime, the Reinventing Justice Task Force brainstormed and came up with a pilot program which was run at the courthouse in January of 2004. The program was so well attended that it is being offered in the neighborhoods served by the courthouse.

Identity-theft programs are being held at senior citizen housing complexes and to groups of seniors. When asked why senior citizens were chosen as the target for the identity-theft outreach program, Judge Coffey replied, "Seniors in our community are more vulnerable to deceitful practices of people who engage in identity theft. They are more trusting, more willing to engage in conversation, and unwittingly give out information that can be used to defraud them."

As the outreach and community service arm of the West Roxbury District Court, Reinventing Justice's purpose is to make the Court more responsive to community needs and more user friendly, while improving service to its constituents. Lawyers, court officers, and community members concerned with public safety serve on this volunteer committee to advise the Court of the state of affairs in the surrounding community. It is an interactive committee where ideas and recommendations are made and implemented. Once a need was identified in the area of identity theft, a workshop was developed.

The first workshop was held off-site at the Roslindale House on an October afternoon. Healthy Roslindale Coalition was asked to cosponsor this meeting by helping with promotion and outreach. Approximately 40 to 50 seniors attended this very informative session. They heard presentations from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Barry Jenkins from the U.S. Post Office provided information on how to make sure mail is secure. He told the seniors to make sure that they notify the Post Office when they are vacationing, and to be sure to shred or tear up any junk mail showing their addresses. He relayed a story that had recently been in the newspapers about a woman from Puerto Rico who had her identity stolen by someone from the United States. The thief used her identity to purchase a home and a car, and to obtain credit cards in her name

A few years passed, and the woman decided to buy a new car. When she was denied credit because she already had too much debt against her, she was appalled to find out that someone had bought all these things in her name. Her credit report showed that she owned a home and a car, and had numerous debts accumulated in the United States.

The woman had never left Puerto Rico and the car was to have been her first major purchase. When those responsible for the theft of her identity were prosecuted, they were upset that she had ruined their life! What a turn of events! It took her years to straighten out her credit and reclaim her good name.

Madeline DeLeon, an assistant attorney general, spoke about steps that seniors can take to monitor their identity. They should request a yearly credit report and check it carefully to make sure it accurately reflects their credit status. She warned them not to give personal information over the phone to anyone they do not know and to never give credit-card information or the codes on the reverse of the card unless initiating the phone call. Criminals ask for the verification code on the back, saying they need to verify it, when they are actually stealing that information for later use.

Keith Constantine representing the Registry of Motor Vehicles urged that when renewing their driver's license or Mass I.D., people should opt for a randomly assigned number instead of using their Social Security number. He warned them against carrying their Social Security cards in their wallets. If stolen, the card provides immediate access to vital information.

On Tuesday, April 5, Judge Coffey and the Reinventing Justice Task Force will host an identity theft workshop at the Blake Estates' senior-citizen housing complex located at 1344 Hyde Park Avenue across from the Star Market. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the general public.

Expert speakers will once again present information and tips that we all should know in order to protect ourselves. They will provide a packet of comprehensive information for all attendees to take with them.