What To Do if YOU are a Victim of Identity Theft.
If the worst has happened and you find out you have indeed been a victim of identity theft (or have reason to
suspect it) you must take IMMEDIATE action to control the damage.
Report to the Credit Bureaus
If you are a victim of identity theft you must report it immediately to one of the three major credit bureaus.
You only need to call one bureau to place the fraud alert and they will forward the information to the other
two. Your SSN will be flagged for 90 days to prevent a thief from trying to obtain new credit with your
identification.
If you are certain that your identity has been stolen you can request an extended fraud alert. The extended
fraud alert will remain on your report for seven years and will require you to submit an identity theft police
report.
Flagging your account will alert potential creditors to take steps to protect you. This will also delay the credit
approval process.
The three bureaus are:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 www.equifax.com P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
www.transunion.com Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
www.experian.com P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
You will be asked for your SSN and other identifying information through an automated service. The alert
will be passed on to the other two bureaus and all three credit bureaus will send you a letter to confirm the
fraud alert is in place. You will also be given directions for obtaining your credit report for free from each of
the bureaus.
The credit reports will have a telephone number listed on them if you need to contact the bureaus about
fraudulent activity listed on the reports.
Get Copies of Your Credit Report.
Send for your credit reports following the instructions from the credit bureaus. Review the reports carefully.
Look for creditor’s names that you did not request credit from. Also check your personal information; SSN,
address, name, initials and employer information.
Order your credit report at least every three months for the first year of the fraud. Some areas provide a free
report every 12 months. Other areas will give you several free reports for the year you report an identity theft.
Some will charge for each report. Tell them you are an identity theft victim and ask for a free report.
File a Police Report.
Keep records of the fraudulent activity as proof for your report. Blackout unrelated activity and give copies to
the police. Give them any new evidence as it turns up and keep a copy of the report as proof for creditors
and the credit bureaus.
Collect Account Information.
Contact the creditors who issued accounts to the identity thief. The Police may give you a form to request
the information. Send a copy of the police report and the account statements to the creditor. Pass any new
information over to the police.
Close the Accounts.
For NEW Accounts created by the thief: Call the creditors (including credit cards, department stores and
cell phone accounts) and ask for their security or fraud department. Tell them you are an identity theft victim
and ask them to close the accounts and report the closing to the credit bureau. If the account has already
been used by the thief ask them not to hold you responsible for the debt.
For EXISTING Accounts used fraudulently by a thief: Close the accounts and ask the creditors to report the
closing to the credit bureaus. Request that they declare the account “closed at consumer’s request”. If you
open a new account don’t use personal information like your mother’s maiden name or your SSN for a
password. If those are the only options request to use a different password.
Alert Government Agencies.
If your driver’s license or other government ID has been stolen report it to the proper agency to cancel it
and order a replacement. Ask that your information be flagged so that no one else can get copies.
Complete an Identity Theft Affidavit
In order to remove the debts created by the identity thief, you will need to send an affidavit to the company
or creditor holding the debt. When you contact them to close the accounts ask what forms they require. The
affidavit permits them to investigate the claim – it does not ensure that the debt will be cleared.
While each business may have its own requirements you can also obtain a free affidavit form at:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf
Ask the business if they will accept this form or need you to fill out one of theirs.
Send the copies of the affidavit and supporting documents to the businesses (a separate form should be
created for each account or institution responsible for providing the identity thief with credit). Do not send
original bank or card statements. Blackout any information on the statements not related to the account.
Send a copy of each affidavit and the police report to the credit bureaus. Write a letter requesting the
information you declared was a result of theft be blocked or removed from your credit report.
Report Stolen Mail.
If you believe that your mail has been stolen you must contact the nearest Postal Inspector. You can look
for the number in your white pages under Government Services, call 1-800-ASK-USPS or search online at
http://www.usps.com/ncsc/locators/find-is.html.
While the information above is provided for those living in the US the steps are nearly the same in other
countries. Here are some links and numbers to credit and police agencies in the UK, Canada and
Australia.
Contact Numbers for the UK.
If you are a victim of identity theft in the UK use the following contact information;
Credit Bureaus.
Call Credit: 44 (0) 113 244 1555
www.callcredit.co.uk/ Callcredit plc, One Park Lane, Leeds. West Yorkshire, LS3 1EP.
Equifax: 0870 010 2091 for the CIFAS Protective Registration Service
www.equifax.co.uk/ Credit File Advice Centre PO Box 1140, Bradford, BD1 5US
Experian: 0870 241 6212 (M-F 8-6, Sat 9-1)
http://www.experian.co.uk/ Experian Ltd, PO Box 9000, Nottingham, NG80 7WP
Police'
File a report at your local Police Station. Locate the closest station at http://police.uk./
Contact Numbers for Canada.
If you are a victim of identity theft in Canada use the following contact information;
Credit Bureaus.
Trans Union Canada: 1-877-525-3823 (Quebec Residents: 1-877-713-3393) www.tuc.ca
Equifax Canada: 1-800-465-7166
www.equifax.ca Equifax Canada Inc. Consumer Relations Department, Box 190 Jean Talon Station,
Montreal, Quebec, H1S 2Z2
Hotline.
PhoneBusters National Call Centre – with a mandate to gather information and intelligence about identity
theft, PhoneBusters will provide advice and assistance.
Toll free at 1-888-495-8501
Contact Numbers for Australia.
If you are a victim of identity theft in Australia use the following contact information;
Credit Bureaus.
Baycorp Advantage: (02) 9464 6000
www.baycorpadvantage.com Public Access Division Credit Reference Association of Australia
PO Box 966, NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060
Dun and Bradstreet (Australia) Pty Ltd: 13 23 33
www.dnb.com.au Attention: Public Access Centre, PO Box 7405, St Kilda Rd VIC 3004
The Australian Crime Commission.
The Australian Crime Commission operates an Identity Fraud intelligence facility that can assist victims in
notifying some Australian and State government agencies that their identity has been stolen.
Tel: (02) 6243-6666
Contact your local police for instruction if the information for your country is not listed or is incorrect.
Who Has the Right to Access Your Information?
It can be difficult to determine WHO has the right to access your information. This is especially true in
situations where you are requested to divulge information such as Social Security Numbers (for
employment or rentals). Who has the right to demand that information and do you have the right to refuse?
You may also be concerned with who is accessing your information within businesses or government
agencies. Understanding the need for your information can help you judge whether providing it is in your
best interest.
Your Social Security Number is Your Biggest Threat.
While information such as your name, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, address etc. are easily traced
it is your SSN that is the biggest threat. If thieves know your SSN they can access your banking information,
utilities and other personal information as well as establish new credit in your name.
Although originally the SSN was only to be used for Social Security programs it is now commonly used for
filing purposes including bank accounts, employee, student and medical records. This makes your SSN a
free pass gaining access to your personal information.
Who Should Require Your SSN?
There are some government agencies (tax, welfare, Medicare and motor vehicles) who can lawfully require
your SSN. Other agencies may request your SSN in a manner that implies you must give it.
You can determine whether the agency has a right to your SSN by reading the disclosure statement that is
mandatory on government forms requesting the number. The disclosure statement will tell you if the SSN
is required or optional. It also states which agency is requiring the number and what it will be used for.
Government agencies have strict laws about the use and storage of SSN’s – private agencies or
businesses do not.
You cannot be denied services from government agencies if you refuse to give your SSN unless they are
legally required to obtain it or had a law in effect before January 1, 1975 requiring a SSN.
Employers must obtain your SSN to report earnings and payroll taxes. While they are required by law to
have your SSN you might ask for them to protect your number if it is used for filing, listed on ID badges or
otherwise made public.
Other businesses or agencies, including private medical insurance and schools, may request your SSN. If
they are federally funded schools or are reporting to the IRS they may have a legal right to the information. If
the reason for the request is not listed on the form you can leave the space provided for your SSN blank
and ask for an explanation of why they are requesting it.
While a business may have no legal right to the information they can refuse service if you choose not to
disclose it. State laws differ but businesses should not willfully display SSN’s, however, carelessness or
inadequate protection of SSN’s may not violate these laws.
Financial information that is of interest to the IRS requires your SSN to be listed. Banking, stocks,
employment and other financial statements all must include the number.
Credit card companies may request your SSN but are not legally required to have it. Since the number is
used to validate who you are you may be able to provide proof with other forms of identification. Be
prepared to have a difficult time finding a creditor who will provide credit if you refuse to submit your SSN.
Since potential creditors (including landlords) may wish to see your credit report you will likely be required
to give them your SSN to obtain the report. You may ask if they will accept a current report without the SSN
and confirm your identity with other forms of ID.
Federal records, including driver’s license, divorce papers, child support and death certificates all require
SSN’s. Birth certificates usually require the SSN’s of both of the parents unless there is good cause for not
requiring it.
If you receive email that appears to be from a service provider or government agency that requests your
SSN do not reply. This information will not be requested through unsolicited emails and is being sent from
a fraudulent source.
You can find out more about the legal requirements for using your SSN at:
http://www.privacy.ca.gov/recommendations/ssnrecommendations.pdf
What is Being Done to Protect Your Privacy?
>>>>>NEXT>>>>>
If the worst has happened and you find out you have indeed been a victim of identity theft (or have reason to
suspect it) you must take IMMEDIATE action to control the damage.
Report to the Credit Bureaus
If you are a victim of identity theft you must report it immediately to one of the three major credit bureaus.
You only need to call one bureau to place the fraud alert and they will forward the information to the other
two. Your SSN will be flagged for 90 days to prevent a thief from trying to obtain new credit with your
identification.
If you are certain that your identity has been stolen you can request an extended fraud alert. The extended
fraud alert will remain on your report for seven years and will require you to submit an identity theft police
report.
Flagging your account will alert potential creditors to take steps to protect you. This will also delay the credit
approval process.
The three bureaus are:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 www.equifax.com P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
www.transunion.com Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
www.experian.com P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
You will be asked for your SSN and other identifying information through an automated service. The alert
will be passed on to the other two bureaus and all three credit bureaus will send you a letter to confirm the
fraud alert is in place. You will also be given directions for obtaining your credit report for free from each of
the bureaus.
The credit reports will have a telephone number listed on them if you need to contact the bureaus about
fraudulent activity listed on the reports.
Get Copies of Your Credit Report.
Send for your credit reports following the instructions from the credit bureaus. Review the reports carefully.
Look for creditor’s names that you did not request credit from. Also check your personal information; SSN,
address, name, initials and employer information.
Order your credit report at least every three months for the first year of the fraud. Some areas provide a free
report every 12 months. Other areas will give you several free reports for the year you report an identity theft.
Some will charge for each report. Tell them you are an identity theft victim and ask for a free report.
File a Police Report.
Keep records of the fraudulent activity as proof for your report. Blackout unrelated activity and give copies to
the police. Give them any new evidence as it turns up and keep a copy of the report as proof for creditors
and the credit bureaus.
Collect Account Information.
Contact the creditors who issued accounts to the identity thief. The Police may give you a form to request
the information. Send a copy of the police report and the account statements to the creditor. Pass any new
information over to the police.
Close the Accounts.
For NEW Accounts created by the thief: Call the creditors (including credit cards, department stores and
cell phone accounts) and ask for their security or fraud department. Tell them you are an identity theft victim
and ask them to close the accounts and report the closing to the credit bureau. If the account has already
been used by the thief ask them not to hold you responsible for the debt.
For EXISTING Accounts used fraudulently by a thief: Close the accounts and ask the creditors to report the
closing to the credit bureaus. Request that they declare the account “closed at consumer’s request”. If you
open a new account don’t use personal information like your mother’s maiden name or your SSN for a
password. If those are the only options request to use a different password.
Alert Government Agencies.
If your driver’s license or other government ID has been stolen report it to the proper agency to cancel it
and order a replacement. Ask that your information be flagged so that no one else can get copies.
Complete an Identity Theft Affidavit
In order to remove the debts created by the identity thief, you will need to send an affidavit to the company
or creditor holding the debt. When you contact them to close the accounts ask what forms they require. The
affidavit permits them to investigate the claim – it does not ensure that the debt will be cleared.
While each business may have its own requirements you can also obtain a free affidavit form at:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf
Ask the business if they will accept this form or need you to fill out one of theirs.
Send the copies of the affidavit and supporting documents to the businesses (a separate form should be
created for each account or institution responsible for providing the identity thief with credit). Do not send
original bank or card statements. Blackout any information on the statements not related to the account.
Send a copy of each affidavit and the police report to the credit bureaus. Write a letter requesting the
information you declared was a result of theft be blocked or removed from your credit report.
Report Stolen Mail.
If you believe that your mail has been stolen you must contact the nearest Postal Inspector. You can look
for the number in your white pages under Government Services, call 1-800-ASK-USPS or search online at
http://www.usps.com/ncsc/locators/find-is.html.
While the information above is provided for those living in the US the steps are nearly the same in other
countries. Here are some links and numbers to credit and police agencies in the UK, Canada and
Australia.
Contact Numbers for the UK.
If you are a victim of identity theft in the UK use the following contact information;
Credit Bureaus.
Call Credit: 44 (0) 113 244 1555
www.callcredit.co.uk/ Callcredit plc, One Park Lane, Leeds. West Yorkshire, LS3 1EP.
Equifax: 0870 010 2091 for the CIFAS Protective Registration Service
www.equifax.co.uk/ Credit File Advice Centre PO Box 1140, Bradford, BD1 5US
Experian: 0870 241 6212 (M-F 8-6, Sat 9-1)
http://www.experian.co.uk/ Experian Ltd, PO Box 9000, Nottingham, NG80 7WP
Police'
File a report at your local Police Station. Locate the closest station at http://police.uk./
Contact Numbers for Canada.
If you are a victim of identity theft in Canada use the following contact information;
Credit Bureaus.
Trans Union Canada: 1-877-525-3823 (Quebec Residents: 1-877-713-3393) www.tuc.ca
Equifax Canada: 1-800-465-7166
www.equifax.ca Equifax Canada Inc. Consumer Relations Department, Box 190 Jean Talon Station,
Montreal, Quebec, H1S 2Z2
Hotline.
PhoneBusters National Call Centre – with a mandate to gather information and intelligence about identity
theft, PhoneBusters will provide advice and assistance.
Toll free at 1-888-495-8501
Contact Numbers for Australia.
If you are a victim of identity theft in Australia use the following contact information;
Credit Bureaus.
Baycorp Advantage: (02) 9464 6000
www.baycorpadvantage.com Public Access Division Credit Reference Association of Australia
PO Box 966, NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060
Dun and Bradstreet (Australia) Pty Ltd: 13 23 33
www.dnb.com.au Attention: Public Access Centre, PO Box 7405, St Kilda Rd VIC 3004
The Australian Crime Commission.
The Australian Crime Commission operates an Identity Fraud intelligence facility that can assist victims in
notifying some Australian and State government agencies that their identity has been stolen.
Tel: (02) 6243-6666
Contact your local police for instruction if the information for your country is not listed or is incorrect.
Who Has the Right to Access Your Information?
It can be difficult to determine WHO has the right to access your information. This is especially true in
situations where you are requested to divulge information such as Social Security Numbers (for
employment or rentals). Who has the right to demand that information and do you have the right to refuse?
You may also be concerned with who is accessing your information within businesses or government
agencies. Understanding the need for your information can help you judge whether providing it is in your
best interest.
Your Social Security Number is Your Biggest Threat.
While information such as your name, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, address etc. are easily traced
it is your SSN that is the biggest threat. If thieves know your SSN they can access your banking information,
utilities and other personal information as well as establish new credit in your name.
Although originally the SSN was only to be used for Social Security programs it is now commonly used for
filing purposes including bank accounts, employee, student and medical records. This makes your SSN a
free pass gaining access to your personal information.
Who Should Require Your SSN?
There are some government agencies (tax, welfare, Medicare and motor vehicles) who can lawfully require
your SSN. Other agencies may request your SSN in a manner that implies you must give it.
You can determine whether the agency has a right to your SSN by reading the disclosure statement that is
mandatory on government forms requesting the number. The disclosure statement will tell you if the SSN
is required or optional. It also states which agency is requiring the number and what it will be used for.
Government agencies have strict laws about the use and storage of SSN’s – private agencies or
businesses do not.
You cannot be denied services from government agencies if you refuse to give your SSN unless they are
legally required to obtain it or had a law in effect before January 1, 1975 requiring a SSN.
Employers must obtain your SSN to report earnings and payroll taxes. While they are required by law to
have your SSN you might ask for them to protect your number if it is used for filing, listed on ID badges or
otherwise made public.
Other businesses or agencies, including private medical insurance and schools, may request your SSN. If
they are federally funded schools or are reporting to the IRS they may have a legal right to the information. If
the reason for the request is not listed on the form you can leave the space provided for your SSN blank
and ask for an explanation of why they are requesting it.
While a business may have no legal right to the information they can refuse service if you choose not to
disclose it. State laws differ but businesses should not willfully display SSN’s, however, carelessness or
inadequate protection of SSN’s may not violate these laws.
Financial information that is of interest to the IRS requires your SSN to be listed. Banking, stocks,
employment and other financial statements all must include the number.
Credit card companies may request your SSN but are not legally required to have it. Since the number is
used to validate who you are you may be able to provide proof with other forms of identification. Be
prepared to have a difficult time finding a creditor who will provide credit if you refuse to submit your SSN.
Since potential creditors (including landlords) may wish to see your credit report you will likely be required
to give them your SSN to obtain the report. You may ask if they will accept a current report without the SSN
and confirm your identity with other forms of ID.
Federal records, including driver’s license, divorce papers, child support and death certificates all require
SSN’s. Birth certificates usually require the SSN’s of both of the parents unless there is good cause for not
requiring it.
If you receive email that appears to be from a service provider or government agency that requests your
SSN do not reply. This information will not be requested through unsolicited emails and is being sent from
a fraudulent source.
You can find out more about the legal requirements for using your SSN at:
http://www.privacy.ca.gov/recommendations/ssnrecommendations.pdf
What is Being Done to Protect Your Privacy?
>>>>>NEXT>>>>>
Dangers Of Identity Theft '2' |
| This site is published by 'Future Past Publishing' (UK). Zinzan St, Reading, Berks. RG1 7UG. All work is World copyright protected. (P. Moring © 2006) |
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