Calling it the “tsunami of crime,” Suffolk County Police Detective Bill Peker, said identity theft and fraud was among the fastest growing criminal sectors.

“It’s easy to do and very lucrative,” Peker told the members of the Noyac Civic Council at their regular monthly meting Tuesday night.

Det. Peker, of the department’s fraud division, was invited to speak to the members about how to protect themselves against identity theft, and he warned about the many ways criminals acquire information from individuals.

There is information on bank and credit card statements, for example, that could allow a savvy hacker to access bank accounts, or charge thousands of dollars of merchandise.

“Waiters can skim credit card numbers when you’re paying your bill at a restaurant,” he warned, and then sell the account numbers they have collected.

Thieves are even known to steal credit card bills from home mail boxes.

“If you see the mail being delivered, go out and get it,” Peker told the council members. “And don’t put your bills in the mail box to mail and raise the red flag.”

And information is frequently stolen right out of the trash, and he said it was important to shred any document that has an account number on it, including those from banks or credit card companies offering special deals or lines of credit.

Peker also cautioned about the information individuals share over the Internet, and said never respond to any unsolicited email asking for personal account information.

One case his team worked on earlier this year involved a Long Island man who received a notice via email announcing he had won the Canadian lottery. To claim the prize, the man had to forward the lottery organization account information, plus $58,000; which the man did. Of course there was no lottery.

A lot of it is common sense, said Peker.

He urged people to check monthly bank and credit card statements to make sure no unusual activity was occurring. He also said people should limit the number of credit cards they carry, and leave documents such as social security cards at home.

If a person discovers he is a victim of identity theft, he should initiate a security freeze immediately. Among the agencies with whom freezes can be initiated are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

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