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What Do I Do If I'm A Victim Of Identity Theft?

If you think your identity has been stolen, here's what to do:

Contact the fraud department of any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a "fraud alert" on your credit file as well as a victim's statement asking that creditors call you before opening any new accounts or changing your existing accounts. 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 be automatically notified to place fraud alerts, and all three credit reports will be sent to you free of charge.

Contact the fraud department of any of the three major major credit bureaus:

Equifax - www.equifax.com

Experian - www.experian.com

Trans Union - www.transunion.com

When you contact the credit bureau's fraud department, tell them that you're an identity theft victim. Request that a "fraud alert" be placed in your file as well as a victim's statement.

At the same time you should order copies of your credit reports. By law Credit Bureaus must give you a free copy of your report if it is inaccurate because of fraud, and you request it in writing. Review your reports carefully to make sure no additional fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or unauthorized changes made to your existing accounts.

Also, check the section of your report that lists "inquiries." Where "inquiries" appear from the company(ies) that opened the fraudulent account(s), request that these "inquiries" be removed from your report. In a few months, you should order another copy of your report just to make sure that your changes and corrections have been entered and also to make sure that no more fraudulent accounts or other activities have occurred.

Most victims can get accounts closed and debts dismissed by completing the creditor's fraud paperwork, or the ID Theft Affidavit, and including a copy of a police report.

Insist on a letter from the creditor stating that they have closed the disputed accounts and have discharged you of the fraudulent debts. This letter is your best defense if errors reappear or your personal information gets re circulated. This letter is also the best document to give credit bureaus and debt collectors if your police report and ID Theft Affidavit aren't enough to resolve your problems with them.

Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened without your knowledge.

Closing Credit Accounts: Credit accounts include all accounts with banks, credit card companies and other lenders, and phone companies, utilities, internet and other service providers. If you are closing your existing accounts, use new Personal Identification Numbers and passwords when you open new accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers.

Stopping Checks: If your checks have been stolen or misused, stop payment and ask your bank to notify the check verification service with which it does business. While no federal law limits your losses if someone steals your checks and forges your signature state law may protect you.

Most states hold the bank responsible for losses from a forged check. At the same time, however, most states require you to take reasonable care of your account. For example, you may be held responsible for a forgery if you fail to notify the bank in a timely manner that a check was lost or stolen. Contact your bank or the state banking or consumer protection agency for more information.

Check Verification Companies

If your own checks are rejected at stores where you shop, contact the check verification company that the merchant uses.

You can also call these companies (listed below) to report fraudulent use of your checks, and to find out if the identity thief has been passing bad checks in your name (because you've had calls about checks you didn't write or entries on your account you that you didn't initiate) or you've had checks stolen or bank accounts fraudulently set up in your name:

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