Identity is stolen? Steps to take.



	"I don't remember opening that credit card account. And I certainly didn't buy those items on my credit card bill."

	Maybe you never opened that account, but someone else did...someone who used your name and personal information to commit fraud. When an impostor co-opts your name, Social Security Number (SSN), credit card number, or some other piece of personal information without your knowledge-it's a crime, pure and simple. The biggest problem? You may not know your identity's been stolen until you notice that something's amiss: you may get bills for a credit card account you never opened, your credit report may include debts you never knew you had, a billing cycle may pass without your receiving a statement, or you may see charges on your bills that you didn't sign for, authorize, and/or don't know anything about. First Things First. If someone has stolen your identity, the Federal Trade Commission recommends that you take three actions immediately. First... contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus. Tell them to flag your file with a frame including a statement that creditors should get your permission before opening any new accounts in your name. At the same time, ask the credit bureaus for copies of your credit reports. Credit bureaus must give you a free copy of your report if it is inaccurate because of fraud. Review your reports carefully to make sure no additional fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or unauthorized changes made to your existing accounts. In a few months, order new copies of your reports to verify your corrections and changes, and to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred. • Experian charges $8.50; except for residents of some states; call 1-888-397-3742 • Equifax charges $8.50; except for residents of some states; call 1-800-685-1111 • TransUnion charges $8.50; except for residents of some states; call 1-800-888-4213 Second... contact the creditors for any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Ask to speak to someone in security or fraud department, and follow up in writing. Following up with a letter is one of the procedures spelled out in the Fair Credit Billing Act for resolving errors on credit statements, including charges that you have not made. Third... file a report with your local or community police or the police where the identity theft took place. Keep a copy, in case your creditors need proof of the crime. Next, Take Control. Although identity thieves can wreak havoc on your personal finances, there are some things you can do to take control of the situation. Here's how to handle some of the most common forms of identity theft: • If an identity thief has stolen your mail for access to new credit cards, bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit and tax information or falsified change-of-address forms, they have committed a crime. Report it to your local postal inspector. • If you discover that an identity thief has changed the billing on an existing credit card close the account. When you open a new account, ask that a password be used before any inquiries or changes can be made on the account. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, birth date, last four digits of your SSN, phone number or a series of consecutive numbers. Avoid the same information numbers when you create a Personal Identification Number. • If you have reason to believe that an identity thief has access to your bank accounts, checking account or ATM card, close the accounts immediately. When you open new accounts, insist on password only access. If your checks have been stolen, issue stop payments. If your ATM card has been lost, stolen or otherwise compromised, cancel the card and get another with a new PIN. • If it appears that someone is using your SSN when applying for a job, get in touch with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify the accuracy of your reported earnings and that your earnings reported correctly. Call (800) 772-1213 to check your Social Security Statement. In addition, the SSA may issue you a new SSN at your request after trying to resolve the problems brought on by identity theft and you continue to experience problems. Consider this option carefully. A new SSN may not resolve your identity theft problems, and may actually create new problems. For example, a new SSN does not combine the credit records from your old SSN with those from your new SSN. Even when the old credit information is not associated with your new SSN, the absence of any credit history under the new SSN may make it more difficult for you to get credit. And finally, there's no guarantee that a new SSN wouldn't also be misused by an identity thief. • If you suspect that your name or SSN is being used by an identity thief to get a driver's license, report it to your Department of Motor Vehicles. Also, if your state uses your SSN as your driver's license number, ask them to substitute another number. Stay Alert: Taking the steps outlined here should, in most cases, resolve identity theft problems, but identity theft or related credit problems may reoccur. Stay alert to new instances of identity theft. Notify the company or creditor that's involved immediately. Follow up in writing. Order a copy of your credit report from the three credit bureaus every year to check on their accuracy and whether they include only those debts and loans you've incurred. This could be very important if you're considering a major purchases, such as a car. A credit bureau may charge you up to $8.50 for a copy of your report. Complaint Clearinghouse If you've been a victim of identity theft, file a complaint with the FTC by; • contacting the FT'C's Identity Theft Hotline by telephone toll-free 1-977-IDTHEFT (438-4338); TDD: 202-326-2502; • writing the Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20580 • or go online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. Ask for a copy of ID Theft: When Things Happen to Your Good Name, a free comprehensive consumer guide to help you guard against and recover from theft. The FTC publishes free brochures on many consumer issues. For a complete list of publications, write Best Sellers Consumer Response Center Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington D.C. 20580 • or call toll-free 1-977-FTC (382-4357), TDD 202-326-2502. BackForward ©AllAboutCreditRepair.com 2001-2005 The above Consumer Credit Information is provided by the Federal Trade Commission, Washington D.C.