W E A LT H M A N A G E M E N T
PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM
IDENTITY THEFT
Identity theft affects millions of people each year. Learn the risks and
how you can protect your sensitive data from cyber-criminals.
Jim Streitmatter, Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor; Chuck Lawrence, Vice President, Financial Advisor;
Ami K. Forte, Managing Director, Wealth Advisor; Evan P. Forte, CRPS©, Financial Advisor
• If your identity has been assumed, ask the credit bureau to
print a statement to that effect in your credit report.
• If you know of anyone who receives mail from credit card
companies or banks in the names of others, report it to local
or federal law enforcement authorities.
Finally, be very wary of any email or text message expressing
an urgent need for you to update your personal information,
activate an account, or verify your identity. Practice similar
caution with email attachments and downloadable files and
keep your computers protected with the latest security updates
and virus protection software.
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Ami Forte is Managing Director-Wealth Management/Wealth
Advisor of The Forte Group at Morgan Stanley located at 4114 WoodlandsParkway,
Suite 200, Palm Harbor, FL 34685 and may be reached at
727-773-4610 or ami.forte@morganstanley.com. or visit our website:
www.morganstanleyfa.com/thefortegroup/Ami has been featured in
publications such as Business Week and The Dow Jones Newswire.
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS FALL VICTIM TO
identity theft each year—and their financial losses are
in the billions. In 2012, an estimated 16.6 million
Americans experienced identity theft, causing losses of $24.7
billion.1
What can you do to help reduce your chances of having
your identity stolen? The steps below can help you prevent
significant losses.
• Never divulge your credit card number or other personally
identifying information over the Internet or telephone unless
you initiate the communication.
• Reconcile your bank account monthly, and notify your bank
of discrepancies immediately.
• Actively monitor your online accounts to detect suspicious
activity. Report unauthorized financial transactions to yourbank,
credit card company, and the police as soon as you detect them.
• Review a copy of your credit report at least once each year.
Notify the credit bureau in writing of any questionable entries
and follow through until they are explained or removed.
1Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, December 2013.
If you’d like to learn more, please contact Ami Forte.
Article by Wealth Management Systems, Inc. and provided courtesy of Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor.
The author(s) are not employees of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC ("Morgan Stanley"). The opinions expressed by the authors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. The information and data in the article
or publication has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Neither the
information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation by Morgan Stanley with respect to the purchase or sale of any security, investment, strategy or product that may be mentioned.
Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor(s) engaged Tampa Bay Magazine to feature this article.
Ami Forte may only transact business in states where she is registered or excluded or exempted from registration www.morganstanleyfa.com/thefortegroup/or FINRA Broker Check http://brokercheck.finra.org/Search/Search.aspx. Transacting business,
follow-up and individualized responses involving either effecting or attempting to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, will not be made to persons in states where Ami Forte is not registered
or excluded or exempt from registration.
© 2014 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.
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