Nichole Smith can’t figure out how her identity was stolen.

Smith, senior biology major, had her identity stolen last December when someone gained access to her bank account.

Smith said it all began with a strange phone call.

“I got an automated phone call that asked me to enter my bank account number on my computer screen,” she said. “I was confused because I wasn’t on my computer so I just hung up and didn’t think anything of it.”

But the next day is when Smith realized her identity was stolen.

“The next morning, my husband noticed a wire transfer authorization from the previous night on our online bank statement,” she said. “The wire transfer that went through was for a majority of the money in our checking account which included grant money for school.”

Smith said she thinks her identity was hacked into via the internet.

“I assume it was someone hacking into my internet connection because they had my bank account information, my social security number and an exact copy of my signature which matched checks that I’ve written,” Smith said.

DeKalb Police Lt. Gary Spangler said identity theft is a problem on the rise in DeKalb.

“Identity theft is a growing industry with it happening more and more,” Spangler said.

Smith found out how the wire transfer occurred through her bank.

She said someone from Michigan, pretending to be her, made the wire transfer by using her account information including her social security number and forged signature.

Spangler said in most cases, identity theft involves states outside of Illinois.

“Victims here are getting hacked from other states and vice versa,” he said.

Smith said having her identity stolen has created problems for her and her husband financially. They have had a hard time paying bills.

“This has just turned into a nightmare,” she said.

A representative from Fifth Third Bank, 101 W. Lincoln Ave. in Hinckley, said there’s a time limit to claim identity theft.

“They have a certain amount of days to report fraud,” the representative said. “If they wait too long, their claim can get rejected.”

Smith went to the DeKalb Police for help on the incident.

“A detective who has been working on this case has been contacting me and assuring that I will get my money back,” she said.

Another thing that baffled Smith was how protective she is over her personal information.

“I never gave anyone information or replied to any e-mails or phone calls regarding my bank information or social security number,” she said. “And I also shred all my bank records.”

Smith said because her identity was stolen she had her social security number flagged and had her credit report frozen.

Spangler said keeping your private information secure is crucial to preventing identity theft.

“Don’t give out any personal information to strangers or people you may not be comfortable with,” Spangler said.

Spangler also said education is the best method overall to prevent identity theft.

“The best defense we take is educating the public on how to not become a victim,” he said.