Are You A Victim Of Identity Theft?
Has something like this ever happened to you?
· A collection agency informs you that they are collecting a debt from you for an account you know nothing about. · Some of your expected mail, such as credit card statements, no longer arrives. · You notice items on your card statement that you know you did not purchase. · You get a call, or maybe a letter, telling you that your credit has been approved, or denied, for an account you have never heard of.
If any of this sounds familiar, you may have been a victim of identity theft!
The first thing you should do if you suspect identity theft is to check your credit report. You can get a free 30-day trial at www.freecreditprofile.com with TrueCredit. Anything you have ever done that required a credit check will show up in this report. And anything that involves identity theft and a credit check in your name will also show up here.
Report your suspicions of identity theft to the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus: TransUnion - 800-680-7289; Equifax - 800-525-6285; Experian - 888-397-3742. Ask each department to put a fraud alert on your credit file. This won't stop the identity theft, but it should slow it down a lot.
You can also do the same with the Federal Trade Commission at 877-438-4338, and the US Postal Inspection Service on 800-772-1213. And if your checks are being used in a fraudulent manner, report it to these companies: Check Rite - 800-766-2748; Chex System - 800-328-5121; CrossCheck - 800-522-1900; Equifax Telecredit - 800-437-5120; NPC - 800-526-5380; SCAN - 800-262-7771; and Tele-Check - 800-366-2425.
In addition to all that, you can also file a police report, reporting the crime as identity theft, in the area where the identity theft took place. Get a copy of the report for yourself in case anyone needs it as proof later on.
Identity theft will cost you in both time and money. But you can severely limit your liability if you act quickly. For example, if you report the loss of a credit card before the thief uses it, you will not be held responsible for any unauthorized charges. If the card is used before you report the theft, your liability is limited to just $50 - even if the card is used to withdraw all your money from an ATM machine. So report all identity theft promptly and take back control of your life.
About the Author
David Trent is an expert on credit ratings and has become alarmed and concerned at the sharp rise in identity theft across all nations in recent times. He is also the Webmaster of a thriving website dealing with the subject of identity theft: http://www.identity-theft-safety.info/
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