My Identity Has Been Stolen – What Should I Do?Wednesday, October 19, 2011
CredAbility Offers Tips to Help Consumers Restore their Good Name
Protect Your Identity Week is October 16-22
Atlanta, GA — It could be as simple as an unexplained charge on your credit card statement or a debit from your checking account that you don’t recall making or have a receipt for. Many victims of identity theft don’t recognize small transactions as symptoms of a larger problem. In fact, many victims do not realize their identity has been stolen until months, or even years after the theft. And once identified, consumers will invest time and money to restore their good name. The average out-of-pocket expenses for consumers facing identity fraud was $631 per incident in 2010, up from $387 the prior year.
“Even one unexplained transaction on your account could be a sign of identity theft,” said Mechel Glass, director of education for CredAbility. “Quick action can minimize the impact and reduce the amount of time and money spent repairing the damage.”
If you are the victim of identity theft, take the following steps:
Notify the Credit Bureaus
Contact the fraud departments of any of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file.
- TransUnion: 800.680.7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division,
P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
- Equifax: 800.525.6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374
- Experian: 888-EXPERIAN (397.3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
Once you call one credit bureau, they are required to notify the other two. Once you place the fraud alert on your file, you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each. Request that only the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number appear on the report. Review the reports carefully, looking for inquiries from companies you haven't contacted, accounts you didn't open, and debts on your accounts that you can't explain.
Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently
If you suspect that your accounts have been tampered with or see new accounts that may have been opened fraudulently, close them immediately. Call and speak with someone in the security or fraud department of each company. Be sure to document each conversation, including dates, times and who you talked to. Keep copies of all supporting documents and if you send correspondence, do so by certified mail, return receipt requested.
When you open new accounts, use new passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs). Avoid easy to crack codes such as birth dates, phone numbers, your mother’s maiden name or your house number.
Once you clear up your credit report, check them periodically to make sure no new activity has occurred.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission
By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC, you will provide important information that can help law enforcement officials across the nation track down identity thieves and stop them.
File a complaint with the FTC using the online complaint form, which can be downloaded at: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/; or through their toll free Identity Theft Hotline at 877-ID-THEFT (438.4338). Be sure to call the Hotline to update your complaint if you have any additional information or problems.
File a Police Report
File a report with your local police department and get a copy. You may need to submit this report to creditors and others to prove the theft.
