If you think your identity has been stolen, take the following steps…

  • Contact the three major credit bureaus.

Contact the fraud departments of all of the three major credit departments to place a fraud alert on your credit file. The initial fraud alert is for 90 days. You can ask for an extended fraud alert if you file a police report.

  • Close accounts.

Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.

  • File a police report.

Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others who require proof of the crime.

  • File your complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases, which is used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems it causes victims.

Armed with your police report, FTC affidavit, and sample letters, you must contact your creditors to alert them to the situation. In addition to obvious creditors like your credit card issuers, don’t forget utility companies, wireless phone provider, and your ISP.

  • Remember Your Personal Documents

Remember any private label credit cards to department stores, for example. Don’t forget about other personal documents. If your passport was stolen, for example, or if you have reason to believe someone is using a passport in your name, contact the State Department.

When you are trying to correct your credit report due to identity theft, you will have to provide information that proves you are you. That means digging out your birth certificate and making a lot of copies of your driver’s license and social security card. You’ll also have to try and prove that you didn’t make the purchases that the thief or thieves did.

When you have become a victim of identity theft through phishing, this becomes a real problem as these purchases can be made anywhere with a few strokes of the keyboard, so proving that the purchases were made by someone other than you can be a real headache.

Just try to be patient and point out to the company or companies who say you owe them money that you have filed a police report as well as a report with the FTC and that you have been a victim in other places as well.

As we’ve said, it will take time, but it can be done. Your credit rating and credit score is very important, so taking the time to do will pay off in the long run. Realize that in the long run, you’ll be able to enjoy good credit again.

Even if you are denied credit, you can appeal the decision by pointing out that you have been a victim of identity theft and are trying to correct it.

Filed under: Identity Theft