1. What is Identity Theft?
2. How do thieves steal an identity?
3. Where does the impersonator get information about you?
4. What do thieves do with a stolen identity?
5. How can you find out if your identity was stolen?
6. What should you do if your identity is stolen?
7. How do I contact the reporting agencies?
8. What is a fraud alert?
9. What is an Identity Theft Report?
10. How do I file a report with the local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place?
11. Should I close the accounts that I know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently?
12. How long can the effects of identity theft last?
13. What can you do to help fight identity theft?

What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft or identity fraud is when an imposter steals and uses someone else’s identity to obtain credit, steal money from existing accounts, apply for loans, establish accounts with utility companies, rent an apartment, file bankruptcy or obtain a job. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information, like your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. You may not find out about the theft until you review your credit report or a credit card statement and notice charges you didn’t make—or until you’re contacted by a debt collector.

How do thieves steal an identity?
All that is needed is your social security number, your birth date and other identifying information such as your address, phone number or credit card numbers. With this information they can apply for credit through the mail by posing as you. They often provide an address of their own, claiming to have moved.

Where does the impersonator get information about you?

1. From business that maintain personal information about you. Your doctor, accountant, lawyer, dentist, school, place of work, health insurance carrier, and many others have your identifying information. Someone working in the office (or just visiting) might be able to access your information and if they decide to use it to assume your identity, you would not know it.
2. Dumpster Diving. They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it that has not been shredded.
3. Changing Your Address. They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a change of address form.
4. Old-Fashioned Stealing. They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information.
5. On the internet. Much of your information is readily available on the internet, at courts, and accessible from public documents that can be ordered on-line. Additionally, if someone obtains your credit report illegally, they have all the information necessary to become you.
6. Skimming. They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.
7. Phishing. They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.
8. Pretexting. They use false pretenses to obtain your personal information from financial institutions, telephone companies, and other sources.

What do thieves do with a stolen identity?
Once they have your personal information, identity thieves use it in a variety of ways.

• Credit card fraud: They may open new credit card accounts in your name. When they use the cards and don't pay the bills, the delinquent accounts appear on your credit report. They may change the billing address on your credit card so that you no longer receive bills, and then run up charges on your account.
• Phone or utilities fraud: They may open a new phone or wireless account in your name, or run up charges on your existing account. They may use your name to get utility services like electricity, heating, or cable TV.
• Bank/finance fraud: They may open a bank account in your name and write bad checks. They may clone your ATM or debit card and make electronic withdrawals your name, draining your accounts. They may take out a loan in your name.
• Government documents fraud: They may get a driver's license or official ID card issued in your name but with their picture. They may use your name and Social Security number to get government benefits.
• Other fraud: They may get a job using your Social Security number. They may rent a house or get medical services using your name. They may give your personal information to police during an arrest.

How can you find out if your identity was stolen?
The best way to find out is to monitor your accounts and bank statements each month, and check your credit report on a regular basis. Unfortunately, many consumers learn that their identity has been stolen after some damage has been done.

• You may find out when bill collection agencies contact you for overdue debts you never incurred.
• You may find out when you apply for a mortgage or car loan and learn that problems with your credit history are holding up the loan.
• You may find out when you get something in the mail about an apartment you never rented, a house you never bought, or a job you never held.
• You may find out when your credit card company calls alerting you of unusual charges.

What should you do if your identity is stolen?
Filing a police report, notifying creditors, contacting the reporting agencies and disputing any unauthorized transactions are some of the steps you should immediately take.   Back to Top

How do I contact the reporting agencies?
As soon as you are made aware of the fraud you should immediately contact the three major credit reporting agencies by phone and letter to put a fraud alert on your credit profile. Get copies of the reports so that you will know which ones are the fraudulent accounts. Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. Contact the toll-free fraud number of any of the three consumer reporting companies below to place a fraud alert on your credit report.

Equifax

• To report fraud, call (800) 525-6285 or write to P.O. Box 740250, Atlanta, GA 30374-0250
• To order a copy of your credit report ($8 in most states), write to P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241, or call (800) 685-1111
• To dispute information in your report, call the phone number provided on your credit report
• To opt out of pre-approved offers of credit, call (888) 567-8688 or write to Equifax Options, P.O. Box 740123, Atlanta GA 30374-0123
• http://www.equifax.com

Experian (formerly TRW)

• To report fraud, call (888) EXPERIAN or (888) 397-3742, fax to (800) 301-7196, or write to P.O. Box 1017, Allen, TX 75013
• To order a copy of your credit report ($8 in most states): P.O. Box 2104, Allen TX 75013, or call (888) EXPERIAN
• To dispute information in your report, call the phone number provided on your credit report
• To opt out of pre-approved offers of credit and marketing lists, call (800) 353-0809 or (888) 5OPTOUT or write to P.O. Box 919, Allen, TX 75013
• http://www.experian.com

Trans Union

• To report fraud, call (800) 680-7289 or write to P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634
• To order a copy of your credit report ($8 in most states), write to P.O. Box 390, Springfield, PA 19064 or call: (800) 888-4213
• To dispute information in your report, call the phone number provided on your credit report
• To opt out of pre-approved offers of credit and marketing lists, call (800) 680-7293 or (888) 5OPTOUT or write to P.O Box 97328, Jackson, MS 39238.
• http://www.transunion.com

You may also want to contact the major check verification if you have had checks stolen or bank accounts set up by an identity thief. In particular, if you know that a particular merchant has received a check stolen from you, contact the verification company that the merchant uses:

1. CheckRite -- (800) 766-2748
2. ChexSystems -- (800) 428-9623 (closed checking accounts)
3. CrossCheck -- (800) 552-1900
4. Equifax -- (800) 437-5120
5. National Processing Co. (NPC) -- (800) 526-5380
6. SCAN -- (800) 262-7771
7. TeleCheck -- (800) 710-9898

What is a fraud alert?
There are two types of fraud alerts: an initial alert, and an extended alert.

• An initial fraud alert stays on your credit report for at least 90 days.You may ask that an initial fraud alert be placed on your credit report if you suspect you have been, or are about to be, a victim of identity theft. An initial alert is appropriate if your wallet has been stolen or if you've been taken in by a "phishing" scam. With an initial fraud alert, potential creditors must use what the law refers to as "reasonable policies and procedures" to verify your identity before issuing credit in your name.
• An extended fraud alert stays on your credit report for seven years.You can have an extended alert placed on your credit report if you've been a victim of identity theft and you provide the consumer reporting company with an Identity Theft Report. With an extended fraud alert, potential creditors must actually contact you, or meet with you in person, before they issue you credit.

What is an Identity Theft Report?
An Identity Theft Report is a police report with more than the usual amount of detail. The Identity Theft Report includes enough detail about the crime for the credit reporting companies and the businesses involved to verify that you are a victim—and to know which accounts and inaccurate information came from identity theft.

Creating and using an Identity Theft Report may require two steps:
Step One begins with filing your report with a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency. These agencies may include your local police department, your State Attorney General, the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, the FTC, or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Step Two begins when you send the businesses involved and the credit reporting companies a copy of your Identity Theft Report, which you should do by certified mail, return receipt requested.

How do I file a report with the local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place?
Call your local police department and tell them that you want to file a report about your identity theft. Ask them if you can file the report in person. If you cannot, ask if you can file a report over the Internet or telephone. If the police are reluctant to take your report, ask to file a "Miscellaneous Incident" report, or try another jurisdiction, like your state police. You also can check with your state Attorney General's office to find out if state law requires the police to take reports for identity theft. Tell them that you need a copy of the Identity Theft Report to dispute the fraudulent accounts and debts created by the identity thief.

Should I close the accounts that I know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently?
Call and speak with someone in the security or fraud department of each company. Follow up in writing, and include copies (NOT originals) of supporting documents. If the identity thief has made charges or debits on your accounts, or has fraudulently opened accounts, ask the company for the forms to dispute those transactions:

• For charges and debits on existing accounts, ask the representative to send you the company's fraud dispute forms. In either case, write to the company at the address given for "billing inquiries," NOT the address for sending your payments.
• For new unauthorized accounts, you can either file a dispute directly with the company or file a report with the police and provide a copy of the Identity Theft Report to the company.
• Once you have resolved your identity theft dispute with the company, ask for a letter stating that the company has closed the disputed accounts and has discharged the fraudulent debts. This letter is your best proof if errors relating to this account reappear on your credit report or you are contacted again about the fraudulent debt.

How long can the effects of identity theft last?
It's difficult to predict how long the effects of identity theft may linger because it depends on many factors including the type of theft, whether the thief sold or passed your information on to other thieves, whether the thief is caught, and problems related to correcting your credit report. Don't delay in correcting your records and contacting all companies that opened fraudulent accounts. The longer the inaccurate information goes uncorrected, the longer it will take to resolve the problem.

What can you do to help fight identity theft?
Awareness is an effective weapon against many forms identity theft. Be aware of how information is stolen and what you can do to protect yours, monitor your personal information to uncover any problems quickly, and know what to do when you suspect your identity has been stolen.

You can reduce the chance a thief can go on a spending spree with your money or steal your identity by taking the following precautions:

• Give your Social Security number only when absolutely necessary. Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible. If your state uses your SSN as your driver's license number, ask to substitute another number.
• Sign credit/debit cards when they arrive. It's harder for thieves to forge your signature.
• Carry only the cards you need. Extra cards increase your risk and your hassle if your wallet is stolen.
• Keep your PIN numbers secret. Never write a PIN on a credit/debit card or on a slip of paper kept with your card.
• Avoid obvious passwords.
• Don't give card numbers to strangers. Confirm whether a person represents a company by calling the phone number on your account statement or in the telephone book.
• Beware of blank spaces. Draw a line through blank spaces on credit slips. Never sign a blank slip.
• Keep your receipts.
• Destroy documents with account information. Stop thieves from finding information in the trash by tearing up or shredding receipts, credit offers, account statements, expired cards, etc.
• Protect your mail. Ask your local U.S. Postal Service to put your mail on hold when you are traveling and can't pick it up.
• Pay attention to your billing cycles. A missing bill could mean a thief has taken over your account.
• Check your credit report once a year. Check it more frequently if you suspect someone has gotten access to your account information.