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 Betz-Hamilton had her identity stolen in 1993 when
she was 11, but didn’t make the discovery until she was 19. “I was
renting an apartment and needed to apply for electric service,”
Betz-Hamilton explained. “My credit report returned with ten pages
of fraudulent credit card entries.”
It wasn’t until 2013 that Betz-Hamilton learned it was her own
mother who had stolen her identity. The discovery was made after her
mother passed away.
Credit information bureau, Transunion, reports identity theft is the
fastest growing crime in America, with 32 percent of cases having a
family member or relative responsible for the theft. In an interview
with CBS news, Betz-Hamilton revealed her mother had also stolen her
father and grandfather’s identities.
As an Assistant Professor of Consumer Studies at Eastern Illinois
University, Betz-Hamilton uses her identity theft experience in her
career. Her current research focuses on financial education,
consumer protection, financial exploration within families and
identity theft. In 2012, she received the American Association of
Family and Consumer Sciences New Achievers Award and in 2013, the
Illinois Council of Family Relations Outstanding Service Award.
[to top of second column] |
Those interested in learning more about Betz-Hamilton’s experience
and how to protect themselves against identity theft should sign up
for Heartland’s community education course, Identity Theft 101: An
Introduction to an Insidious Crime. The class takes place Monday,
September 29 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in room 112 on Heartland’s Lincoln
campus, 620 Broadway Street. Registration fee required. To
register, visit heartland.edu/communityEd or call (217)
735-1731.
[Text received; BECKY GROPP,
HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE]
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