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What to Do if You are a Victim
Notify the fraud unit at the 3 credit bureaus
Contact the three credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – and let them know that you're a victim of identity theft. Ask to have a fraud alert placed on your personal information file. Make sure that the credit check services let creditors know that they need to call you before they extend credit in your name. This can help prevent an identity thief from opening additional accounts in your name.
The contact information for the credit check services is:
· Equifax Consumer Fraud Assistance Dept. (800) 525-6285
· TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Dept. (800) 680-7289
· Experian Consumer Fraud Assistance Dept. (888) 397-3742
Review Credit Bureau Report
Review your credit bureau report carefully to make sure no additional fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name, and that no unauthorized changes were made to your existing accounts.
Check the section that lists inquiries. If any of the inquiries are fraudulent, request that they be removed from your credit bureau report. In a few months, order a new copy of your credit bureau report to verify that your corrections and changes have been made, and to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.
Contact your creditors
Call your credit card companies, phone companies, utilities, banks and other lenders and ask to speak with someone in the security or fraud department and close the accounts immediately. Open new accounts and insist on password-only access to minimize the chance that an identity thief can violate the accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN, or your phone number. Follow up with written correspondence via certified, return-receipt mail. Include copies of all documents that point to the illegal activities. In addition, if your checks have been stolen or misused, stop payment.
Report the identity theft
Report the identity theft to the police. Obtain a copy of the police report or the number of the report, which can help substantiate your claim of identity theft in the eyes of your creditors. If an identity thief has stolen your mail or has falsified change-of-address forms, it is considered a crime, and should be reported to your local postal inspector. File a report with the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC gathers information to help local and federal law enforcement officials in their identity theft prevention efforts, and the agency can refer your complaints to other government agencies and companies for further action.
To file a complaint, go online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline toll-free at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338). You can also file your complaint by writing to Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
Place a security freeze on your credit file
Those wishing to take an additional step may consider placing a security freeze on their credit file. A security freeze means that your file cannot be shared with potential creditors. If your credit files are frozen, even someone who has your name and Social Security number would probably not be able to get credit in your name. A security freeze is free to those who have filed a police report of identity theft. If you don’t have a police report, it costs $10 to place a freeze with each credit bureau, a total of $30. The credit bureaus require that freeze requests be made in writing. You can visit www.idtheftcenter.org and look under Victim Resources to view your state's current freeze law.
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Did you know?
 Lenders consider more than just your credit score when deciding whether or not to extend credit. They consider the amount of debt you can handle given your income, your employment history, your credit history, as well as staying within their institutional underwriting policies.
Find out more information about your credit,
click here.
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