Digital-age pickpockets: Police report ID theft, bank account fraud on rise in NWI

During the Christmas season and ever since, an increasing number of residents have reported their personal and financial information has been compromised, local police departments said.

"There's definitely been a rise in fraud cases involving debit cards and identity theft," said Sgt. Larry LaFlower, public information officer with the Porter County Sheriff's Department.

Each day, LaFlower said, officers hear from residents who've discovered someone has used their accounts, names and dates of birth to make fraudulent purchases online or open new accounts under false pretenses.

Bob Buhle, senior partner with Merrillville-based Centier Bank, said employees always are learning about new scams and reminding customers to be careful with their personal information.

"A bank is going to pay attention to your security," he said. "One of our tenets with our clients is that they feel their information is secure with us. These particular types of scams are getting smarter and a little bit cleaner."

As more and more people become comfortable with email and cellphone texting technology, they need to be cautious with the messages they receive.

For example, some scams persuade people into clicking on a link in a message and sharing their personal information. Buhle said it's highly unlikely any bank would ask for a personal identification number or account information through an email or text message.

"The bank knows this information," he said. "They're not going to ask for it."

Mary Biron, chief security officer with BMO Harris Bank, which has branches in Northwest Indiana and the south suburbs, said her bank would never ask for a PIN or other personal information over the phone or through email or text message.

"Customers should be suspect of anyone calling them or asking for this type of information," she said. "This would most likely be a ruse to fraudulently obtain their information."

In recent months, common scams have involved people hacking computer systems and checkout terminals, rummaging through trash containers and pickpocketing, Biron said. Many online debit card scams are conducted from international locations, she stated.

To spot fraud quickly, Buhle recommends checking and double-checking bank statements on a regular basis. He said many banks offer mobile notification if a major transaction is taking place and instant, secure access to accounts online.

"Today, there's so many more convenient ways to check what's going on in your account," he said. "The sooner you can notify your bank of suspicious activity, the better."

Biron said when customers spot suspicious activity on their accounts, they need to act quickly, notifying their local police department and their bank.

"At no cost to our customers, we are able to help those who are victims of identity theft and assist them in restoring their identity — providing critical help when customers need it most," Biron said.