Identity Theft Emergency

If you think you are a victim of identity theft, it’s crucial to contact your financial institutions and take control of the situation immediately. Credit.com shows you exactly what to do if you suspect that you might be a victim of identity theft:

Step 1: Report – At the very first sign of identity theft you should call the affected credit card company or business to report the crime. You can find the correct contact information on the back of your credit card, on printed statements, online, and by calling 411. Sophisticated identity thieves can work very quickly, so it’s important that you report the situation right away. Your financial companies will change your account numbers, refund the charges, and send you new credit cards. After your call, write down the name of the person you spoke with and make a few notes about the communication, including the person´s extension or relevant contact information.

Step 2: Research – Now that you have stopped the initial crime, take some time to do a little research. You don’t need to become Sherlock Holmes, but try to investigate the basics of your identity theft case. Look at the records of the account that was stolen and see where and when the fraudulent charge was made. Take a minute to check your other accounts for signs of identity theft. If you spot more damages, report them immediately to the creditors. See if you can pinpoint how the thief obtained your information.

Step 3: Notify – After you have stopped any fraudulent use of your accounts, it’s time to contact the credit bureaus to report the crime. You only need to contact one of the three credit bureaus in order to have a 90-day fraud alert added to all three of your files. This alert lets businesses know that you may be a victim of identity theft. The credit bureau can also help you investigate the case and will send you a copies of your credit reports so you can look for suspicious changes.

• Equifax
  1-800-525-6285
  www.equifax.com
  P.O. Box 740241
  Atlanta, GA 30374
• Experian
  1-888-EXPERIAN
  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

Step 4: Organize – By now you should have a pretty good idea about what happened. At this point you should create a folder with records of your communications and details about your case. Fill out an ID Theft Affidavit using the FTC’s form and keep this in your folder. This document can help you close unauthorized accounts and request that the credit bureaus extend your fraud alert for 7 years. You can also file an identity theft complaint with the FTC online. If your crime goes beyond basic credit card fraud, you should file a police report with your local station. Keep a copy of this police report in your folder for future reference.

Step 5: Watch – Even though you have closed your accounts and stopped the initial identity theft attack, there could continue to be some issues with your accounts. Watch your accounts and credit reports closely for signs that the identity thief has used your data again or opened an account in your name. You may want to sign up for a credit monitoring service that will instantly notify you of changes to your credit report. If you spot something suspicious, report it immediately. If you remain careful about your credit, you should be able to catch and stop any continuing identity theft before it causes major harm.