Steps for ID Theft Victims

ID Theft

• Keep a log of all contacts.
• Immediately contact the creditors who approved the credit by phone and in writing (via certified letter), to inform them of the problem.
• File a police report.
• Call your nearest U.S. Postal Inspection Service office.
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission to report the problem 1-877-438-4338
• Contact the Social Security Administration’s Fraud Hotline 1-800-269-0271.

Equifax

Experian

Trans Union Corporation

• Call each of the three credit bureaus’ fraud units to report identity theft.  Ask to have a “Fraud Alert/Victim Impact” statement placed in your credit file asking that creditors call you before opening any new accounts.
• Be prepared to complete affidavits of forgery to establish your innocence for banks, credit grantors, and recipients of stolen checks.  These institutions are joint victims with you and may suffer financial loss.
• Alert your banks to flag your accounts and contact you to confirm any unusual activity.  Request a change of PIN and a new password.
• Contact the state office of the Department of Motor Vehicles to see if another license was issued in your name.  If so, request a new license number and fill out the DMV’s complaint form to begin the fraud investigation process.
• Request a copy of your credit report from each major credit bureau and check for signs of fraudulent activity.

You’ll want to check your credit report annually for errors.  Keep copies of:

• Your correspondence.
• Records of your telephone calls, and other documents showing your efforts to correct the problem.

Useful Links

Federal Trade Commission
US Postal Service
Identity Theft Prevention and Recovery
Identity Theft Information Packet