Tip! Social Security Number (SSN) identity theft. Someone steals your SSN and obtains employment in your name.

So, you have just realized that someone has stolen your identity and is racking up debt left and right, and you want to put a stop to it, but you don’t know what to do. Well, keep reading, because in this article you will learn exactly what to do when you are a victim of identity theft. Once you have absorbed this information, act quickly, because the sooner you start fighting for your identity, the sooner you will win.

You will probably receive a phone call from a creditor stating “you” just either made a large purchase and they suspect fraud or you open your credit card bill as you do every month and be amazed at some extra charges that are on there. Call your credit card company immediately. Rarely, will you be liable for charges over $50, and many credit card companies wave the first $50 in the case of fraud. Check with your bank, you will usually be given a choice to close your account and reopen a new one or some banks will put a “watch” on your account and you will have to log into your account and manually approve every charge and check before it is cleared. This usually goes on for a period of 30-60 days. The latter isn’t the best choice as it is labor intensive to do and your account isn’t protected from fraud as it would be if you simply closed it out and reopened a new account.

Tip! Medical identity theft. Someone steals your identity and either obtains medical insurance in your name or uses your current medical insurance policy to obtain treatment or prescriptions.

After you have done all the initial damage control. The next thing to do when you realize that you are a victim of identity theft is to notify the credit bureaus. Report the situation to the three major credit reporting companies- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can do it online or in writing, and you must tell these companies that your identifying information has been stolen and is being used by another person fraudulently in your name. Ask them to flag your file with a fraud alert, and ask that all creditors call you before extending credit in your name. A consumer statement will be put on your file and it will alleviate your fears of bogus accounts being opened for about 3 months.

Tip! Ask your financial institutions to add extra identity theft protection to your account.

Due to provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can only place an initial fraud alert for 90 days. The credit bureaus will then send you a notice displaying your rights as an identity theft victim. As soon you receive this, write to each of the three credit bureaus to request two things; An extension of the fraud alert to seven years, and a free copy of your credit report. Remember to include an identity theft report when you send your letter in order to authorize the seven year alert. Whenever you communicate with the credit companies, you should refer to the number given to your credit report and always use verified return receipt mail. Also, make sure you save all credit reports and related information for your records.

Tip! It is important that you install a locked mailbox at your residence for enhanced identity theft protection.

As soon as you get your three credit reports, carefully examine each one. Report all fraudulent and inaccurate information in writing to the credit bureaus, as well as to the credit issuers, following the instructions that are provided with the credit reports. As soon as you notify the credit bureaus about the fraudulent information, the bureau is required to strike that information from future reports. The bureau will also notify the credit grantor of the fraudulent account(s). If it isn’t included in the report, ask the credit bureaus for the contact information of the credit grantors.

Also, tell the credit bureaus in writing that you want them to remove all inquiries that have been created due to fraudulent access. You should also ask the bureaus to contact anyone who has received your credit report in the last six months so they can be informed about the fraudulent and inaccurate information. Numerous inquiries can lower your credit score, so work diligently on getting those inquiries removed from your personal credit report.

Tip! The moment you feel that there has been an identity theft, it is important to report the crime to the police. Provide all the requisite documented evidence.

Though these measures should set you back on track and protect your credit from the fraudulent information, they may not completely stop it from happening again. Because of this, be sure to monitor your credit reports, there are many online services that will help you monitor your credit report. We recommend Experian Triple Advantage. Along with getting your credit report online with credit score, you also get 30 days free credit monitoring service. With this service you can start the dispute process online! Often times, once you have started the process you will be able to obtain a second free report from the credit bureaus, and in many states you will be able to access your credit report more frequently. If you notice that the fraudulent information is still happening, notify the proper bureaus instantly. If the problem persists for very long, you may want to consider freezing your accounts for awhile if possible to prevent any more damage.

Identity theft is an unfortunate event when it occurs, but you can fight back and get your life back quickly!

Tip! The third step to take if you believe you are a victim of identity theft is to file a police report. Request a copy of the report for your records and to send to creditors for verification of the crime.

About the Author

Liz Roberts is a loan consultant with New Horizon Finance, specializing in bad credit, & has been providing consumers & business owners with financing since 1989. Join Experian Triple Advantage & get a free credit report & credit score.

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Tip! Maintain services of Identity Theft Protection and Recovery Company. Better safe than sorry.

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Identity theft remains one of the fastest growing crimes in America and has topped the FTC’s list of consumer complaints for the past eight years straight.Chances are, you know someone in your family or at work who has been a victim of identity theft. Beyond the financial costs, identity theft victims can spend hundreds of frustrating hours talking to credit card companies, banks, police and credit bureaus repairing the damage. Factor in that thieves may hold onto information for as long as six months before using it, and that a single stolen identity may be used up to 30 times, the full impact of the crime really begins to take shape. And unfortunately, you are guilty until proven innocent when it comes to identity theft - adding insult to injury.The fact is you could already be a victim of identity theft and not know it for months.Here are the top five things you can do now to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft:1) Place Fraud Alerts On Your Credit ReportFraud alerts make it extremely difficult for thieves to open new lines of credit in your name. Fraud alerts have proven 82% effective in […]

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If your credit score was just lowered, how would you find out? There are so many avenues now to get your credit report it’s actually pretty easy. But what if it actually was lowered to the point that it would really cost you on loans? This is where the constant stream of information is flowing about how important your credit score is these days. A credit score is so powerful these days that it has become the driving force of the lending industry. When it comes right down to it, all of this is the result of money. If someone loans you money and your credit score states you are low risk, then there is a pretty good chance that the bank will not need to worry about you defaulting. But in this article I wanted to discuss some matters that would affect your credit score.Applying for creditIf you are going out applying for a bunch of credit, this will lower your credit score. The reason is the credit score risk models look at this type of activity in a negative way. The reason is it looks like you are applying for too much new credit which could be a […]

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