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Identity Crisis... What to Do If Your Identity is Stolen "I don't remember opening that credit card account. And I certainly didn't buy those items I'm being billed
for." Maybe you never opened that
account, but someone else did...someone who used your name and personal
information to commit fraud. When an imposter co-opts your name, your Social
Security number (SSN), your credit card number, or some other piece of your personal
information for their usein short, when someone appropriates your personal
information without your knowledge-it's a crime, pure and simple. The
biggest problem? You may not know your
identity's been stolen until you notice that something's amiss: you may get
bills for a credit card account you never opened, your credit report may
include debts you never knew you had, a billing cycle may pass without your
receiving a statement, or you may see charges on your bills that you didn't
sign for, didn't authorize, and don't know anything about. First Things First If someone has stolen your
identity, the Federal Trade Commission recommends that you take three actions
immediately. First, contact the fraud
departments of each of the three major credit bureaus. Tell them to flag
your file with a fraud alert including a statement that creditors should get
your permission before opening any new accounts in your name. At the same time, ask the
credit bureaus for copies of your credit reports. Credit bureaus must give you
a free copy of your report if it is inaccurate because of fraud. Review your
reports carefully to make sure no additional fraudulent accounts have been
opened in your name or unauthorized changes made to your existing accounts. In
a few months, order new copies of your reports to verify your corrections and
changes, and to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.
Second, contact the
creditors for any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
Ask to speak with someone in the security or fraud department, and follow up in
writing. Following up with a letter is one of the procedures spelled out in the
Fair Credit Billing Act for resolving errors on credit billing statements,
including charges that you have not made. Third, file a report
with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft
took place. Keep a copy in case your creditors need proof of the crime. Next, Take Control Although identity thieves
can wreak havoc on your personal finances, there are some things you can do to
take control of the situation. Here's how to handle some of the most common
forms of identity theft. If an identity thief has
stolen your mail for access to new credit cards, bank and credit card
statements, pre-approved credit offers and tax information or falsified
change-of-address forms, (s)he has committed a crime.
Report it to your local postal inspector. If you discover that an
identity thief has changed the billing address on an existing credit card
account, close the account. When you open a new account, ask that a password be
used before any inquiries or changes can be made on the account. Avoid using
easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the
last four digits of your SSN or your phone number, or a series of consecutive
numbers. Avoid the same information and numbers when you create a Personal
Identification Number (PIN). If you have reason to
believe that an identity thief has accessed your bank accounts, checking
account or ATM card, close the accounts immediately. When you open new
accounts, insist on password-only access. If your checks have been stolen or
misused, stop payment. If your ATM card has been lost, stolen or otherwise
compromised, cancel the card and get another with a new PIN. If an identity thief has
established new phone or wireless service in your name and is making
unauthorized calls that appear to come from-and are billed to-your cellular
phone, or is using your calling card and PIN, contact your service provider
immediately to cancel the account and calling card. Get new accounts and new PINs. If it appears that someone
is using your SSN when applying for a job, get in touch with the Social
Security Administration (SSA) to verify the accuracy of your reported earnings
and that your name is reported correctly. Call (800) 772-1213 to check your
Social Security Statement. In addition, the SSA may
issue you a new SSN at your request if, after trying to resolve the problems brought
on by identity theft, you continue to experience problems. Consider this option
carefully. A new SSN may not resolve your identity theft problems, and may
actually create new problems. For example, a new SSN does not necessarily
ensure a new credit record because credit bureaus may combine the credit
records from your old SSN with those from your new SSN. Even when the old
credit information is not associated with your new SSN, the absence of any
credit history under your new SSN may make it more difficult for you to get
credit. And finally, there's no guarantee that a new SSN wouldn't also be
misused by an identity thief. If you suspect that your
name or SSN is being used by an identity thief to get a driver's license,
report it to your Department of Motor Vehicles. Also, if your state uses your
SSN as your driver's license number, ask to substitute another number. Stay Alert Taking the steps outlined
here should, in most cases, resolve your identity theft problems, but identity
theft or related credit problems may reoccur. Stay alert to new instances of
identity theft. Notify the company or creditor that's involved immediately.
Follow up in writing. Order a copy of your credit report from the three credit bureaus every year to check on their accuracy and whether they include only those debts and loans you've incurred. This could be very important if you're considering a major purchase, such as a house or a car. |
