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Five Steps to Take if Your Identity Has Been Compromised

Bookmark and Share Raleigh - October 19, 2011 -

RALEIGH, N.C. (October 20, 2011) -- Identity theft is a serious crime in the U.S. In 2010 alone, more than 8 million Americans were victimized, resulting in the loss of more than $37 billion, according to a 2011 Javelin Strategy and Research survey. Individuals whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years and thousands of dollars repairing the damage thieves have caused. As part of an identity protection initiative, Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina (bbb.org) is offering guidance to assist consumers whose identity has been compromised.

For individuals who are victims of identity theft, BBB recommends taking the following five steps as soon as possible. Be sure to keep a record with details of all conversations in resolving this issue, as well as make copies of all correspondence.

1. Place fraud alerts on your credit reports, and review the reports thoroughly.

Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. Contact any of the three consumer reporting companies below to place a fraud alert on your credit report. You only need to contact one of the three companies to place an alert. The company you call is required to contact the other two, which will also place an alert on their versions of your report.

a. Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com

b. Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com

c. TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com

Once you place the fraud alert in your file, you are entitled to order free copies of your credit reports, and, if you ask, only the last four digits of your Social Security number will appear on your credit reports. Once you get your credit reports, review them carefully. Look for inquiries from companies you have not contacted, accounts you did not open, and debts on your accounts that you cannot explain. Check to see if information, including your Social Security number, address(es), name or initials and employers, is correct. If you find fraudulent or inaccurate information, have it removed. Continue to check your credit reports periodically, especially for the first year after you discover the identity theft, to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred. Visit bbb.org to learn more about fraud alerts.

2. Close the accounts that you know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.

Call and speak with someone in the security or fraud department of each company. Follow up in writing, and include copies—not originals—of supporting documents. It is important to notify credit card companies and banks in writing. Send your letters by certified mail with a return receipt requested. This will allow you to document what the company received and when. Keep a file of your correspondence and enclosures.

a. If the identity thief has made charges or debits on your accounts, or on fraudulently opened accounts, ask the company for the forms to dispute those transactions:

i. For charges and debits on existing accounts, ask the representative to send you the company's fraud dispute forms. If the company does not have special forms, send a letter to dispute the fraudulent charges or debits. In either case, write to the company at the address given for "billing inquiries," not the address for sending your payments.

ii. For new unauthorized accounts, ask if the company accepts an ID Theft Affidavit. If not, ask the representative to send you the company's fraud dispute forms. If the company already has reported these accounts or debts on your credit report, dispute this fraudulent information. Once you have resolved your identity theft dispute with the company, ask for a letter stating that the company has closed the disputed accounts and has discharged the fraudulent debts. This letter is your best proof if errors relating to this account reappear on your credit report or you are contacted again about the fraudulent debt.

b. When you open new accounts, use new Personal Identification Numbers and passwords. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security number or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers.

3. Prove you are a victim.

Applications or other transaction records related to the theft of your identity may help you prove that you are a victim. For example, you may be able to show that the signature on an application is not yours. These documents also may contain information about the identity thief that is valuable to law enforcement. By law, companies must give you a copy of the application or other business transaction records relating to your identity theft if you submit your request in writing. Be sure to ask the company representative where you should mail your request. Companies must provide these records at no charge to you within 30 days of receipt of your request and your supporting documents. You also may give permission to any law enforcement agency to get these records, or ask in your written request that a copy of these records be sent to a particular law enforcement officer. The company can ask you for:

a. Proof of your identity. This may be a photocopy of a government-issued ID card, the same type of information the identity thief used to open or access the account, or the type of information the company usually requests from applicants or customers, and

b. A police report and a completed affidavit, which may be the Identity Theft Affidavit or the company's own affidavit.

4. File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place.

Then, get a copy of the police report or at the very least, the number of the report. It can help you deal with creditors who need proof of the crime. If the police are reluctant to take your report, ask to file a "Miscellaneous Incidents" report, or try another jurisdiction, like your state police. You also can check with your state Attorney General's office to find out if state law requires the police to take reports for identity theft. Visit www.naag.org for a list of state Attorneys General.

5. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC, you will provide important information that can help law enforcement officials across the nation track down identity thieves and stop them. The FTC can refer victims' complaints to other government agencies and companies for further action, as well as investigate companies for violations of laws the agency enforces.

You can file a complaint online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. If you do not have Internet access, call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline, toll-free: 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653- 4261; or write: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. Be sure to call the Hotline to update your complaint if you have any additional information or problems.

“It is imperative to take immediate action should you become a victim of identity theft,” says Toby Barfield, president and CEO of BBB serving Eastern North Carolina. “Doing so can help limit the amount of financial and emotional damage caused.”

To further assist members of the community, BBB is hosting its semi-annual “Secure Your ID” Day. The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. Free document shredding and ID protection tips will be offered from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the parking lot at Coastal Federal Credit Union’s headquarters on St. Albans Drive in Raleigh. Additional information is available at www.easternnc.bbb.org/secure-your-id.

Press Contact

Contact: Brian Van Norman
Email: brian@articulon.com
Phone: 919.232.5008