Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1002866
32 | Overdrive | July 2018 W hen Scott Reed was an owner-operator, he once was pulled over by a sheriff 's deputy. After running Reed's license, the officer told him there were eight warrants out for his arrest. That news was "quite a shock" for Reed, who now works as an independent dispatcher and radio show host. "I told the officer that I can't even think of eight things I've done to get warrants." That wasn't the only discrepancy. The warrants were issued for a man described as 5-feet-10, 130 pounds, with blue eyes and light brown hair. Reed is 6-feet-2, about 400 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. Four years later, Reed continues to recover from the identity theft. From all he's learned about his situation, he thinks his stolen personal data was passed to more than one person. Those eight warrants were issued in at least six different states. Thieves used his identity to buy two new cars and cash checks for upwards of $6,000, among other things. "A lot of things happened in a very short period of time," Reed says. Unfortunately, it's taking a very long time to straighten out the mess. While his credit rating is recovering slowly, a credit card company still claims he owes $8,000. "Talking to my banker, she's telling me it's going to take a couple years to get back to where I was," says Reed, who's not sure how his information was stolen. As Reed's case shows, truckers are vulnerable not only to financial loss and a trashed credit rating from identity theft but also legal complications that can threaten their livelihood. They're also at more risk of having personal data compromised than most people because of their constant traveling and other factors, says Doug Morris, direc- tor of safety and security operations for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and a 26-year GUARDING YOUR DATA Take caution, especially while on the road, to prevent identity theft. BY DEANNE WINSLETT Scott Reed, an owner-operator at the time, already was knee-deep in trouble when he learned that he was a victim of identity theft. Contacting only one of the three major credit bureaus is enough to place a free fraud alert on your credit records. The alert can make it more diffi cult for thieves to open accounts or make charges under your name. When there is a fraud alert on your report, a business must verify your identity before it can issue any credit. This may make the process of opening a new loan or credit account more involved for you, but it also will make it more diffi cult for potential thieves to do the same under your name. If you fear you're at risk of identity theft because you've had a wallet lost or stolen, you can place an initial fraud alert with one of the credit bureaus. It stays on your credit report for 90 days and can be renewed. FRAUD ALERT (800) 525-6285 (888) 397-3742 (800) 680-7289