How to take appropriate steps to Identity Theft Recovery

Here are some important tips on how to take steps to theft recovery, for shoppers and merchants.  

  What are the first steps I should take if I'm a victim of identity theft?
Follow up all calls in writing. Send your letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can document what the company received and when. Keep copies for your files.

  1. Call the toll-free fraud number of any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report. This can help prevent an identity thief from opening additional accounts in your name. As soon as the credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will automatically be notified to place fraud alerts, and all three credit reports will be sent to you free of charge.  For more information about fraud alerts, see What are fraud alerts and victim statements?

 Once you receive your reports, review them carefully to make sure no fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or unauthorized changes made to your existing accounts.

  See What should I look for on a credit report to indicate identity theft? and How I do correct inaccurate information on my credit report?

  You should continue to check your reports periodically, especially in the first year of discovery, to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.

  Please note: The automated “one-call” process only works for the initial placement of your fraud alert. Orders for additional credit reports or renewals of your fraud alerts must be made separately at each of the three major credit bureaus. 

  2. Contact the creditors (for example, credit card companies, phone companies and other utilities, and banks and other lenders) to close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Ask to speak with someone in the security or fraud department of each creditor. It's particularly important to notify credit card companies in writing. See What do I do if someone has tampered with my existing accounts? See What should I do about unauthorized charges on my credit cards? See What do I do if someone has opened new credit accounts in my name?

  3. File a report with your local police. Get a copy of the police report in case the creditors, credit bureaus or others need proof of the crime. See How do I prove that I'm an identity theft victim? or What should I do if the local police will not take a report from me?

  4. File a complaint with the FTC. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases which are used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we may better assist you. See Filing a Complaint with the FTC.

 Source: FTC

  The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them.

  To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.