Helpful Links
Identity Theft Resource Center
  The ITRC is a nonprofit, nationally respected organization dedicated exclusively to the understanding and prevention of identity theft.
FTC's Identity Theft Site
  The Federal Trade Commission's dedicated Identity Theft resource site. Consumers can learn how to avoid identity theft and what to do if their identity is stolen.
Social Security Administration
  Where to go if you need to correct earnings records, a replacement card if your Social Security card was lost or stolen or even a new Social Security number in certain circumstances.
Internal Revenue Service
  Provides information to the consumer to resolve tax-related Identity Theft issues.
Identity Theft Statistics
  • Every three seconds, an identity is stolen.
  • On average, identity theft victims spend 40 hours to undo the damage and clear their names.
  • Identity theft victims typically don't discover their information has been stolen until 12 months after a theif first used it.
  • Between Fe 2005 and march 2006 more than 55 million Americans were put at risk by security breaches, leaving them vulnerable to identity theft.
  • The total cost to consumers from identity theft was 49.3 billion dollars in 2007.
  • 8.4 Million Americans were victimized by Identity Theft in 2007.
Top 5 Tips to Prevent ID Theft

1. SAFEGUARD YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.

This is probably the most important information about you. Never carry your card with you or tell anybody the number. This information along with your birthday is one of the most frequently used pieces of personal information financial institutions use to identity you over the phone.

2. USE A SHREDDER

Do not throw discarded mail into the trash without shredding it. A common practice for identity thieves is to go through potential victim's trash for identifying pieces of information. We recommend a cross-cut shredder, not a strip-cut one because cross-cutting creates fragments that are harder to put together.

3. CHANGE YOUR PASSWORDS REGULARLY

If you bank online or store personal information in your computer, it would be wise to change your password regularly and avoid common passwords like birthdays and anniversaries.

4. NEVER SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Be suspicious of anybody who asks for your personal information over the phone. Ask them for their information and investigate before calling them back.

5. BEWARE OF PHISHING SCAMS

Identity thieves will "phish" for victims by pretending to be a bank, store, or government agency. They do this over the phone, in emails, and regular mail. Do not respond to requests to verify your account number or passwords unless you initiate contact.

 

Resources for Identity Theft Victims

Are You a Victim?

Here are five signs you might be

Stolen Drivers License

Your license has critical identifying pieces of information like your DOB and home address. With it the identity theives can begin to collect more information or sell your license in the black market. Your stolen license can lead to impersonation, identity theft, and criminal identity theft.

Visit our Drivers License Resource Page

Stolen Social SecuritySocial Security Number

The importance of protecting your social security number cannot be understated. Not only does it connect you to your credit report, but it references government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security benefits and much more.

Visit our Social Security Resource Page

Mail

You begin to receive bills for credit accounts you never opened or your normal bills stop arriving. A common tactic used by identity theives is to change your mailing address to delay the detection of theft.

Calls

You begin to receive phone calls from debt collectors or letters for about accounts you never opened or purchases you never made.

Bad Credit

Applications for new credit are rejected because of a poor credit rating although you pay your accounts on time.

What to do if your identity has been stolen

Before you Begin: Keep Detailed Records

According to the Privacy Rights Clearing House, the average time an identity theft victim spent to undo the damage was 40 hours in 2006. You will speak to various people, often at the same company. It is vital to keep accurate and detailed records as you work through this process, it won't be simple or easy but if you follow our recommendations, it will help to resolve your case more quickly.

  • Make sure you write down the name of everybody you talk to, their position, what they told you, and the date of the conversation.
  • When mailing receipts or documents, do not mail originals and always use certified mail, return receipt requested, so you document what the company or organization received and when.
1. Immediately Place Fraud Alerts

Contact any one of the consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) and have them place a Fraud Alert on your credit file. This tells creditors to follow increased security procedures when issuing credit in your name. Any one of the CRAs will contact the other two. Fraud Alerts can be placed over the phone or online.


 

2. Order Free Credit Reports

After placing fraud alerts on your credit file, you are entitled to a free credit report from each CRA. Once you receive this report, review it carefully and look for inquires from companies you haven't contacted, accounts you did not open, and debts or balances you cannot explain. Also use this time to ensure the personal identifying information on this report is accurate like your name, address, and employers.

Reviewing your credit report is your first line of detection against possible fraud. Pay special attention to any negative items such as late payments or collection accounts. Remember to carefully review all three reports from Transunion, Experian, and Equifax. Different institutions report to different credit agencies so you want to ensure you cover all your bases.

If you don't find anything unusual in your reports, be diligent and continue to review your reports periodically. Theft may have occurred but remain unreported. If you do find suspicious activity contact the affected accounts immediately. You may want to also consider how an identity theft protection company can assist you even after theft has occurred.

 

3. Contact Financial Institutions

Contact any accounts you may believe have been victimized and close those accounts. Make sure you speak with somebody in the fraud department of each company and follow the procedures for each regarding dispute forms and affidavits. Once again it is extremely important to keep detailed records of who you speak with and what was said.

Once you have resolved the identity theft dispute, ask for a letter stating that the company has closed the disputed accounts and discharged the fraudulent debts. This letter is your best defense if these accounts continue to affect your credit file.

Proving you're a victim
  • Most companies will accept a police report or the FTC's ID Theft Affidavit as proof that you have been victimized by Identity Theft.
  • Not all companies accept this declaration as proof however and you will then have to research and prove that you did not open the fraudulent accounts. Companies are required by law to provide you with copies of the fraudulent applications within 30 days of receipt of your request.

4. File a Police Report / Identity Theft Report

File a police report within your local jurisdiction and request a copy of that report. If the police are reluctant, file a "Miscellaneous Incidents" report or try another jurisdiction like your state police. In addition to this, it is important to file a complaint with the FTC. The FTC will forward this information to other governmental agencies for further action, as well as investigate companies for violations of laws the agency enforces.

Prevention

As in most endeavors, prevention is the best policy. Repairing the damage of identity theft is never something you want to do twice. Follow our tips to prevent identity theft on the right column and we highly recommend you enroll with a reputable identity protection service such as TrustedID, Lifelock, IdentityGuard, or Equifax. Read our detailed id protection services reviews , or view the comparison page to see which protection service is right for you. The plans are very affordable and can give you the peace of mind to know you are taking proactive steps to prevent identity theft from happening again.

 

Detailed
Reviews

Lifelock read reviews TrustedID read reviews IdentityGuard read reviews Equifax read reviews

Understanding
Reviews

What is Credit Monitoring? read reviews What is Theft Insurance? read reviews What are Fraud Alerts &
Credit Freezes? read reviews

The decision to review only Lifelock, TrustedID, IdentityGuard, and Equifax was made after a careful review of the identity protection industry. We feel these companies represent the top four in the industry and all bring their own unique corporate philosophy in developing products and services to better protect the consumer. As the industry continues to evolve, we will update our choices as well as our reviews.

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