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Credit > Identity Theft > What to Do if You're a Victim |
What to Do If You're a Victim of Identity Theft Step 1: Contact the Three Major Credit Bureaus. -- You should contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Trans Union and Experian). Tell them that you are a victim of identity theft and that you would like your credit file flagged with a notation stating that in the future you should be contacted personally before any credit is issued in your name. Having one's file flagged has not proved effective for some victims of identity theft who have reported that lenders just kept on issuing new accounts in their name to the thief, even after their credit files were flagged with a fraud alert. Even though having your credit file officially flagged is no guarantee that that accounts will stop being issued in your name, you must go through the motion of doing so to protect your legal rights. The telephone numbers of the fraud departments are: Equifax (800) 525-6285 Experian (888) 397-3742 Trans Union (800) 680-7289 It would be a good idea after telephoning the credit bureaus to send certified letters to each agency advising them of same. It is doubtful that the three credit bureaus will remove the false accounts from your credit file at this point in time since an investigation has not been completed. However, if they will not remove the false accounts, you need to insist that they at least indicate the account is in dispute or under investigation for fraud if it is to remain on your credit report. Order Your Credit Report. While you're phoning the credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file, you also need to order a copy of your credit report to check for accounts that you are unaware of or have been fraudulently opened in your name. Since you believe you are the victim of fraud, you are entitled to a free copy of your report from each credit bureau. Step 2: File a Police Report -- The companies who have issued credit in your name will never take you seriously if you don't file a police report. You must do this in order to protect your legal rights. Often, this creates a problem in that the person who has committed the fraud is either a close friend or a relative and the victim might not want to press charges. If you discover that a relative or friend is the one who has stolen your identity, the company that issued the credit in your name might tell you that you must press charges in order to get out of paying the debt. Several legal experts have argued that you do not have to press charges and should not allow yourself to be bullied into pressing charges. You might find more information about this subject at the website www.consumer.gov. Step 3: Contact Your Local Post Office -- If your identity was assumed because someone stole your mail to obtain your account numbers, credit card numbers, etc., you need to officially report this fact to your local postmaster. Step 4: Contact the Social Security Administration and Department of Motor Vehicles -- If the thief is using your social security number or drivers license number to commit fraud, you might need to get new numbers from these agencies to stop the thief. It is very difficult to get these agencies to issue you a new number, particularly the social security administration. If you want a new number, you must make an appointment at a local office near your home and bring in lots of proof to justify your request for a new number. Step 5: Contact the Federal Trade Commission -- The Federal Trade Commission is the federal agency in charge of consumer complaints about identity theft. The information you provide can help the FTC and other law enforcement agencies track, investigate and prosecute identity thieves. You can report yourself as a victim of identity with the FTC using their online form at www.ftc.gov. The FTC is not going to investigate or take any action on your behalf. You can also visit www.consumer.gov for lots of information about identity theft. |
Credit > Identity Theft > What to Do if You're a Victim |
Debt Kit -- Settle unsecured debts for less than half of amount owed Credit Kit -- Improve your credit rating and reduce monthly payments by $200+ |
