Sometimes an identity thief can strike even if you’ve been very careful about keeping your personal information to yourself. If you suspect that your personal information has been hijacked and misappropriated to commit fraud or theft, take action immediately to put a “LOCK” on it: -
L: LEARN which credit and bank accounts are affected and close them immediately. (more) -
O: OPEN a fraud alert by contacting one of the credit bureaus. (more) -
C: CONTACT police and file a formal report (more) - K: KEEP the FCC apprised of the fraud by filing a formal complaint, and keep a record of your conversations and correspondence (more)
Exactly what steps you should take to protect yourself depends on your circumstances and how your identity has been misused. However, the four basic “LOCK” steps are appropriate in almost every case. 1. Learn Learn which credit and bank accounts are affected and close them immediately. Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently, including: Credit Accounts -
Credit accounts include all accounts with banks, credit card companies and other lenders, and phone companies, utilities, ISPs, and other service providers. If you’re closing existing accounts and opening new ones, use new Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and passwords. If there are fraudulent charges or debits, ask the company about the following forms for disputing those transactions: - For new unauthorized accounts, ask if the company accepts the ID Theft Affidavit (Click HERE for a downloadable copy) If they don’t, ask the representative to send you the company’s fraud dispute forms.
- For your existing accounts, ask the representative to send you the company’s fraud dispute forms.
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If your ATM card has been lost, stolen or otherwise compromised, cancel the card as soon as you can. Get a new card with a new PIN. -
Click HERE to see a sample letter to creditors that disputes fraudulent charges or debits. Checks If your checks have been stolen or misused, close the account and ask your bank to notify the appropriate check verification service. While no federal law limits your losses if someone steals your checks and forges your signature, state laws may protect you. Most states hold the bank responsible for losses from a forged check, but they also require you to take reasonable care of your account. For example, you may be held responsible for the forgery if you fail to notify the bank in a timely way indicating that a check was lost or stolen. Contact your state banking or consumer protection agency for more information. You also should contact the following major check verification companies. Ask that retailers who use their databases not accept your checks. - TeleCheck: 800-710-9898
- Certegy, Inc.: 800-437-5120
- Check Rite / Global Payments: 800-638-4600
- Chex Systems / eFunds: 800-328-5121
- Call SCAN (1-800-262-7771) to find out if the identity thief has been passing bad checks in your name.
2. Open Open a fraud alert by contacting one of the credit bureaus. Call the toll-free fraud number of any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report. - Equifax Credit Information Services - Consumer Fraud Div., P.O. Box 105496 Atlanta, Georgia 30348-5496. Phone: 800-525-6285
- Experian - P.O. Box 2104 Allen, Texas 75013-2104. Phone: 888-397-3742
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Trans Union Fraud Victim Assistance Dept. - P.O. Box 390, Springfield, PA 19064-0390. Phone: 800- 680-7289 -
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the major credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - upon request, provide you with a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months. Please visit The Federal Trade Commission website at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm for additional details on how to obtain a free copy of your credit report, or go to www.annualcreditreport.com . Creating a fraud alert can help prevent an identity thief from opening additional accounts in your name. As soon as the credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will automatically be notified to place fraud alerts on your credit report, and all three reports will be sent to you free of charge. Once you receive your reports, review them carefully. Look for inquiries you didn’t initiate, accounts you didn’t open, and unexplained debts on your real accounts. Where “inquiries” appear from the company(ies) that opened the fraudulent account(s), request that they be removed from your report. You also should check that information such as your Social Security Number, address(es), name or initial, and employers are correct. Inaccuracies in this information also may be due to typographical errors. Nevertheless, whether the inaccuracies are due to fraud or error, you should notify the credit bureau as soon as possible by telephone and in writing. Click HERE to see a sample letter to a credit bureau disputing information in your file. You should continue to check your reports periodically, especially in the first year after you’ve discovered the theft, to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred. The automated “one-call” fraud alert process only works for the initial placement of your fraud alert. Orders for additional credit reports or renewals of your fraud alerts must be made separately at each of the three major credit bureaus. 3. Contact Contact police and file a formal report. File a report with your local police or with the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Keep a copy of the report. You may need it to validate your claims to creditors. If you can’t get a copy, at least get the report number. - File a police report and send a copy to all credit reporting agencies.
- Be persistent.
- The police may tell you that they cannot accept your report. Stress that you may have to pay the charges if you cannot send a police report to the financial institutions.
- An alternative is to file an incident report with the police, and send copies out to your financial institutions.
- If you are not successful with local police, try the state police or your local Postal Inspector. File a complaint with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), and ask the police to check the FTC sentinel database for other complaints in your area.
- Keep a file with names, dates and times associated with the people and agencies you contacted.
- Keep a copy of everything (fraud affidavits that you complete, police reports, correspondence, etc.).
- Make sure you send a dispute letter to every card issuer.
4. Keep Keep the FCC apprised of the fraud by filing a formal complaint, and keep a record of your conversations and correspondence. By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC, you will provide important information that can help law enforcement officials track down identity thieves and stop them. The FTC also can refer victims’ complaints to other appropriate government agencies and companies for further action. The FTC enters the information you provide into its secure database. Tips on organizing your case: - Accurate and complete records will greatly improve your chances of resolving your identity theft case.
- Follow up in writing with all contacts you’ve made on the phone or in person. Use certified mail, return receipt requested.
- Keep copies of all correspondence or forms you send.
- Write down the name of anyone you talk to, what he or she told you, and the date the conversation occurred. Use the Chart Your Course of Action document.
- Keep the originals of supporting documentation, including police reports, and letters to and from creditors; send copies only.
- Set up a filing system for easy access to your paperwork.
- Keep old files even if you believe your case is closed. One of the most difficult and annoying aspects of identity theft is that errors can reappear on your credit reports or your information can be re-circulated. Should this happen, you’ll be glad you kept your files.
File a Complaint With the FTC If you’ve been a victim of identity theft, file a complaint with the FTC by contacting the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline by telephone: Toll-free 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338); TDD: 202-326-2502 Or by mail: - Identity Theft Clearinghouse
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580 Or online: www.consumer.gov/idtheft Although the FTC does not have the authority to bring criminal cases, the Commission can help victims of identity theft by providing information to assist them in resolving the financial and other problems that can result from this crime. By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC, you will provide important information that can help law enforcement officials track down identity thieves and stop them. The FTC also refers victims’ complaints to other appropriate government agencies and private organizations for further action. Clearing Your Name Completely clearing your name can take some time. Here's what you should do: - Check your credit reports at least once a year to make sure that your fraud alert is still active.
- Be sure to tell your banks and card issuers not to make any changes on your accounts unless they receive a pass code or password (not your mother’s maiden name!) that you set up with them.
- Be persistent and follow through on every account opened without your permission.
- Make sure you follow each one through until the account has been removed from your credit reporting agency’s report.
- Tell the Post Office not to change your address unless you come in personally with several ID’s (this is to prevent criminals from diverting your mail to another location).
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