How to Report Identity
Theft
 Whether we like
it or not, we live in a digital world where the security
of our personal information is threatened every day. While
it's important to do everything possible to protect
yourself, there's a chance you could fall victim to
identity theft. The most important thing you can do in
this situation is to report it immediately so that the
perpetrator can be punished and you can move on with your
life. Fortunately, reporting identity theft is fairly
easy:
Inform Your Local Authorities
As soon as you
notice that your credit cards have been stolen, or if you
find suspicious activity on your bank statements, you'll
need to inform the police. They'll ask you about the
details surrounding your situation and create a report.
The police will also do whatever they can to apprehend the
perpetrator. In addition, if you receive repeated
threatening emails that ask you for sensitive information,
it might be a good idea to file a complaint with the
FBI.
Inform Your Bank and Credit
Lenders
Chances are,
you've been in a situation where you misplaced a credit
card or have lost track of it for a short period of time.
While you may feel embarrassed, the first thing you need
to do is to call each bank that you received cards from.
They will immediately put a stop on all transactions, and
issue you cards with all new numbers.
If you actually
do find suspicious transactions, you'll need to call your
bank and proceed with filing a report of fraudulent
activity. Different banks have different policies on how
to deal with these fraudulent charges - so it's important
to be aware of their policies before an emergency. As the
digital revolution continues, many banks and credit card
lenders are enacting specific policies to protect victims
of identity theft - some even offer account monitoring
programs designed to catch thieves in the act.
Alert the Social Security
Administration
Unfortunately,
once someone has access to your banking information, they
may also find a way to gain access to your social security
number. As a result, it's crucial to have your social
security number changed. Even though this may take a few
months to accomplish, you will have peace of mind knowing
that you have a new number that has not been compromised.
Call the Social Security Administration as soon as you
suspect someone has access to your number.
Alert the Department of Motor
Vehicles
This is
especially important if your driver's license,
registration, or auto insurance information have been
compromised. In most cases, the DMV will issue you a new
license for a fee. You may also want to ask your auto
insurance carrier to issue you a new policy number. While
it isn't easy to use auto insurance policy information for
direct monetary gain, it can still be used as supporting
documentation of your identity.
Once the
confidentiality of your personal information has
compromised, it's very important to notify the appropriate
parties to minimize the amount of damage a thief can do.
If you have been a victim of identity theft, keep an eye
on your credit report for a few months following the event
to make sure you've put a stop to the thief. The potential
for identity theft will always exist in a digital world -
especially when the computer hackers out there are smarter
than the people working to protect us. Be diligent and be
aware and you'll prevent the worst of identity theft from
happening to you.
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