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If
you have already been victimized, or if your wallet has been lost
or stolen, here are some helpful suggestions on the actions you
should take in order to limit your liability.
- Immediately
call your credit card companies and notify them of the situation.
Cancel your old cards and get new cards with new account numbers
and new PIN numbers. You will want to do the same for your ATM
card. In most cases your losses will be limited to $50 if you
report your card as lost or stolen within 2 days
of discovering the loss, and you will not be responsible for
anything once you have reported your card as lost or stolen.
Follow up in writing.
- File
a report with the police, and if the mail was involved, notify
your local Postal Inspector. Be sure to get copies of the report
so that you can provide your creditors with a copy.
- Call
the 3 national credit bureaus (To report fraud, call Equifax
@ 1-800-525-6285, Experian @ 1-888-397-3742,
and Trans Union @ 1-800-680-7289) and ask them
to flag your accounts with a "fraud alert." Follow
up in writing.
- If
your driver's license was lost or stolen, contact the DMV immediately
and ask them to put a "fraud alert" on your license.
You can call the DMV Fraud Hotline at 1-866-658-5758.
- If
your keys were lost, change the locks on your home and car.
- If
your checkbook is lost or stolen, report the loss to the bank.
Cancel your old checking and savings accounts and open new ones.
Report the stolen checks to the check verification companies
that retail stores use. You can call TeleCheck @ 1-800-710-9898,
Certegy, Inc. @ 1-800-437-8120, and International
Check Services at
1-888-460-9739.
- You
may also consider calling your telephone and utility company
to alert them that someone may try to get new service using
your identification.
- If
you are a victim of identity theft, contact the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC). The FTC is a federal clearing house for victims
of identity theft, and can provide assistance to victims by
providing them with information to help them resolve the difficulties,
financial and otherwise, associated with identity theft.
Additional
Resources: Identity
Theft and Fraud...Tips to Live By click
here
Office
of Privacy Protection click
here ID
Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name click
here
ID
Theft: What It's All About
click
here
Think
You're Already a Victim? Follow These Seven Steps. click
here Identity
Theft Victims Guide click
here Federal
and State Resources on Identity Theft click
here Identity
Theft Contact Log-Sheet click
here
Other
Resources click
here |
