May 18, 2004
Contact: Thomas L. Lavelle, Assistant Vice President and Public Information Officer

Boston -- The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston announced today the release of Robo de Identidad, a Spanish translation of their booklet, Identity Theft. The publication is designed to teach Spanish-speaking consumers what identity theft is, how it happens, how to protect themselves, and what steps to take if their identity is stolen.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing types of crime in the United States. According to the FTC, one in eight consumers learned they were victims of identity theft in the past five years. Identity theft occurs when one person’s identification (which can include name, social security number, or any account number) is used or transferred by another person for unlawful activities. Identity thieves frequently access a victim’s accounts or open new accounts in a victim’s name.

Unfortunately, identity thieves often use a stolen identity again and again, because consumers are unaware of the theft. The Robo de Identidad booklet describes the common sense precautions consumers should take to protect personal financial information. The booklet also has useful contact information on the national credit bureaus, Federal Government agencies that can provide help, and non-profit agencies that advise consumers and businesses.

Copies of the booklet are available from the Bank. The first copy is free, and additional copies are $1.00 each. Please make check or money order payable to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Consumers can call 1-800-409-1333 or e-mail PublicComm.Affairs-Bos@bos.frb.org to order. It can be ordered by mail by writing to:

Robo de Identidad
Public and Community Affairs Department
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
P.O. Box 55882
Boston, MA 02205

The publication is also available for viewing online, at the Bank's public website: www.bos.frb.org/consumer/identity/spanish/index.htm.