Unfortunately, all of us are potential victims of identity theft.
If you fall into the hands of identity theft, you will need to know the next steps to take
to protect your self as much as possible. First, you must contact your local authorities
to receive a police report or number. The police are probably not going out of their way
to help you, but still you need that report. Some departments of law differ from others,
meaning that some officers are compassionate, while others could care less. Sometimes this
is due to the restrains put on the law enforcement to prevent or fight a crime, while other
times it is because the law hires employees that have backgrounds that would scare the beard
off your grandmother's chin.
In other words, the law enforcement hires perpetrators of crimes
without even knowing until the crimes are committed. Unfortunately, there is a lot of cover
up in law enforcement, but still that report is necessary to finish your procedures in identity
theft.
The next step is to contact the Federal Trade Commission Identity
Theft Clearinghouse, where these people will spread the word that your identity was stolen.
In some instances, it helps, while in other incidents it appears all in vain. The most important
step that follows contacting the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is to contact the credit
bureaus.
The credit bureaus store your personal information, including
FICO scores. Call TransUnion, Equifax and Experian alerting them that your identity was
stolen and request immediate copies of your reports. The copies are free at this point,
thus make sure you notify the proper credit bureaus. If anyone tries to charge you, let
them know that they are in violation of the law with respect to your right of access to
the information. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion often give little problems when requesting
reports, especially if you are a victim of identity theft.
Once your reports arrive, review the reports with vigilance
searching for any debts, bankruptcies, tax liens, delinquencies, et cetera on the reports
that do not belong to you. If you find ny charges unauthorized by you, make sure to follow
up by filling out the dispute forms provide by the credit bureaus immediately. The bureau
will carry out an investigation on your behalf, by contacting the companies or sources accusing
you and requesting proof of the debts. If the bureaus find there is not sufficient information
that insinuates that you caused the debt, the bureaus will place "deleted" or "dismissed"
behind the debt. Under law, the credit bureaus are obligated to remove any debts from your
credit reports that clearly were not incurred by you.
Keep original copies of all reports, letters received and sent,
and other documentations in a safe filing cabinet. It is important to keep the files organized
and never throw them away under any circumstances. Furthermore, do not store the files on
your computer, unless you are not connected to a server (Internet). If you decide to hook
the Internet up to the computer, immediately remove the files, storing them on storage mediums,
such as tapes, disc, floppy, external Media, or Zip drives. Always, keep a hard copy in
a filing cabinet. Learn how to keep notes of all activities and never throw away any receipts,
especially if you made a purchase by credit/debit cards, or checks.
When you contact the credit bureaus, make sure you request the
bureaus place a Fraud Alert Freeze on your accounts. Immediately close bank accounts, credit
card accounts and other accounts in your name. Next, contact your Secretary of State or
Department of Motor Vehicle and report the crime. You will also need to contact the Social
Security Administration alerting them that your identity was stolen.
You will also need to take steps to prevent further activities
and to reduce second identity theft odds. Victims of identity theft often feel "What's the
purpose." Some victims fell victim to identity theft a second time, since they felt hopeless
from the first crime. Try to remember that thieves are predators that harm the entire population,
thus fighting back is the only chances you have of surviving the crime committed against
you.