Identity Theft Protection / Identity Theft Prevention

What to Do if Your Identity is Stolen

	If you are a victim of identity theft, you should take immediate actions
	Take control of the situation

When an imposter co-opts your name, your Social Security number, your credit card number, or some other piece of your personal information for their use and appropriates your personal information without your knowledge, it is a crime of identity theft.

You may not know you are a victim of identity theft until you notice that something is wrong. 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 did not sign for, did not authorize, and do not know anything about.

If you are a victim of identity theft, you should take immediate actions:

1. Contact the company or organization that issued the identity materials that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently - in the case of credit cards, contact the credit card issuer. Ask to speak with someone in the security or fraud department, and make sure you also send a letter in writing.

2. Order a copy of your credit report from the three major credit reporting agencies (for details, see What is a Credit Report (and How Do I Get Mine)?) Check their accuracy and make sure they include only those debts and loans that you have incurred. This could be very important if you are considering a major purchase, such as a house or a car.

3. File a police report. Keep a copy in case your creditors need proof of the crime.

Take control of the situation:

• The Federal Trade Commission is the federal clearinghouse for identity theft protection and identity theft prevention. The complaints about identity theft that the Commission receives help it, and other law enforcement agencies, track, investigate and prosecute identity thieves. You can file a complaint with the FTC by contacting the Consumer Response Center by phone: 202-FTC-HELP (382-4357); TDD: 202-326-2502; by mail: Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20580; or through the Internet, using the online complaint form. Although the Commission cannot resolve individual problems for consumers, it can act against a company if it sees a pattern of possible law violations.

• You also may want to contact the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (call 619-298-3396), which provides information on identity theft protection and identity theft prevention -- and how to network with other identity theft victims.

• If someone has stolen your mail to obtain access to your new credit cards, bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers and tax information, or the person falsified change-of-address forms, (s)he has committed an identity theft 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 credit card 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 Social Security number or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers. Avoid the same information and numbers when you create a Personal Identification Number (PIN).

• To thwart an identity thief who may pick through your trash to capture your personal information, tear or shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance forms, bank checks and statements, expired charge cards, and credit card offers you get in the mail.

• 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 bank 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 established new phone service in your name and is making long-distance calls, making unauthorized calls that appear to come from - and are billed to - your cellular phone, or using your calling card and PIN, contact your service provider immediately to cancel your account and calling card. Get new accounts and new PINS.

• If it appears that someone is using your Social Security number when applying for a job, get in touch with the Social Security Administration to verify the accuracy of your reported earnings and that your name is reported correctly. Call (800) 772-1213 to check your Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate.

• If you suspect that your name or Social Security number is being used by an identity thief to get a driver license, contact your appropriate State driver license office (see our License Locator). If your State uses your Social Security number as your driver's license number, ask to substitute another number.

• The Social Security Administration may issue you a new Social Security number if you still have difficulties even after trying to resolve the problems resulting from identity theft. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that a new Social Security number will resolve your problems.

• The US Secret Service has jurisdiction over financial fraud cases. Although the Service generally investigates cases where the dollar loss is substantial, your information may provide evidence of a larger pattern of fraud requiring their involvement. Contact your local field office.