1. Place a fraud alert on your credit
reports, and review your credit reports.
Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any
more accounts in your name. Contact the toll-free fraud number of
any of the three consumer reporting companies below to place a fraud
alert on your credit report. You only need to contact one of the
three companies to place an alert. The company you call is required
to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions
of your report, too. If you do not receive a confirmation from a
company, you should contact that company directly to place a fraud
alert.
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com;
P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O.
Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com;
Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
Once you place the fraud alert in your file, you're entitled
to order one free copy of your credit report from each of the three
consumer reporting companies, and, if you ask, only the last four
digits of your Social Security number will appear on your credit
reports. Once you get your credit reports, review them
carefully. Look for inquiries from companies you haven't contacted,
accounts you didn't open, and debts on your accounts that you can't
explain. Check that information, like your Social Security number,
address(es), name or initials, and employers are correct. If you
find fraudulent or inaccurate information, get it removed. When
you correct your credit report, use an Identity
Theft Report with a cover
ltter explaining your request, to get the fastest and
most complete results.
Continue to check your credit reports periodically, especially
for the first year after you discover the identity theft, to make
sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.
2. Close the accounts that you
know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
Call and speak with someone in the security or fraud department
of each company. Follow up in writing, and include copies (NOT originals)
of supporting documents. It's important to notify credit card companies
and banks in writing. Send your letters by certified mail, return
receipt requested, so you can document what the company received
and when. Keep a file of your correspondence and enclosures.
When you open new accounts, use new Personal Identification Numbers
(PINs) and passwords. Avoid using easily available information like
your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits
of your Social Security number or your phone number, or a series
of consecutive numbers.
If the identity thief has made charges or debits on your accounts,
or has fraudulently opened accounts, ask the company for the forms
to dispute those transactions:
- For charges and debits on existing accounts, ask the representative
to send you the company's fraud dispute forms. If the company
doesn't have special forms, use this sample
letter to
dispute the fraudulent charges or debits. In either case, write to the company at the address given for "billing
inquiries," NOT the address for sending your payments.
- For new unauthorized accounts, you can either file a dispute
directly with the company or file a report with the police and
provide a copy, called an “Identity Theft Report,” to
the company.
- If you want to file a dispute directly with the company,
and do not want to file a report with the police, ask if
the company accepts the FTC’s ID
Theft Affidavit (PDF, 56 KB). If it does not, ask the representative
to send you the company's fraud dispute forms.
- However, filing a report with the police and then providing
the company with an Identity Theft Report will give you greater
protection. For example, if the company has already
reported these unauthorized accounts or debts on your credit
report, an Identity Theft Report will require them to stop
reporting that fraudulent information. Use the cover
letter to explain to the company the rights you
have by using the Identity Theft Report.
Once you have resolved your identity theft dispute with the company,
ask for a letter stating that the company has closed the disputed
accounts and has discharged the fraudulent debts. This letter is
your best proof if errors relating to this account reappear on your
credit report or you are contacted again about the fraudulent debt.
3. File a complaint with
the Federal Trade Commission.
You can file a complaint with the FTC using the online
complaint form; or call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline, toll-free:
1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261; or write Identity
Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. Be sure to call the Hotline
to update your complaint if you have any additional information
or problems.
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. The
FTC can refer victims' complaints to other government agencies
and companies for further action, as well as investigate companies
for violations of laws the agency enforces.
Additionally, you can provide a printed copy of your online Complaint
form to the police to incorporate into their police report. The
printed FTC ID Theft Complaint, in conjunction with the police report,
can constitute an Identity Theft Report and entitle you to certain
protections. This Identity Theft Report can be used to (1)
permanently block fraudulent information from appearing on your
credit report; (2) ensure that debts do not reappear on your credit
report; (3) prevent a company from continuing to collect debts
that result from identity theft; and (4) place an extended fraud
alert on your credit report.
4. File a report with your
local police or the police in the community where the identity
theft took place.
Call your local police department and tell them that you have
been a victim of identity theft and you want to file a report. Ask
them if you can file the report in person. If you cannot,
ask if you can file a report over the Internet or telephone. See
below for information about Automated Reports.
If the police are reluctant to take your report, ask to file a "Miscellaneous
Incident" report, or try another jurisdiction, like your state
police. You also can check with your state Attorney General's office
to find out if state law requires the police to take reports from
identity theft victims. Check the Blue Pages of your telephone
directory for the phone number or check www.naag.org for
a list of state Attorneys General.
When you go to your local police department to file your report,
bring a printed
copy of your FTC ID Theft Complaint form, your cover letter,
and your supporting documentation. The cover letter explains
why a police report and an ID Theft Complaint are so important
to victims.
Ask the officer to attach or incorporate the ID Theft Complaint
into their police report. Tell them that you need a copy of the
Identity Theft Report (the police report with your ID Theft Complaint
attached or incorporated)to dispute the fraudulent accounts and
debts created by the identity thief. (In some jurisdictions
the officer are not be able to give victims a copy of the
official police report, but they should be able to sign your Complaint
and write the police report number in the “Law Enforcement
Report” section.)
More information for victims of identity theft can be found in
this Identity
Theft Victim's Guide from the U.S. Federal Trade
Commission. (This PDF file is large -- 7.2MB.)
[Top of Page]
If you are a victim of identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) recommends that you take the following four steps as
soon as possible, and 