Identity theft happens when someone uses another person's driver's licence, social security number, name, address, phone number, or any other information about that person as their own. When someone who shouldn't have this information gets it without the other person's knowledge, they use it to steal and scam.
How does someone get my information to steal my identity? By going through your trash, hacking into a computer you may use, getting a copy of your credit report, stealing credit card and debit card numbers you may have, stealing your mail, filling out a change of address form to send your mail to a different address, stealing your purse or wallet, and posing as a business person to get information from you.
How would I know if someone stole my ID? If you get credit card statements for accounts you didn't apply for, if you don't get your mail, if your credit is being denied and you don't know why, if fake checks are used to take money out of your bank account, if you get calls from collection agencies about bills for accounts set up with your personal information that you don't know about, or if you have any other problems with your personal information, you should contact the Federal Trade Commission.
Should I ask for a copy of my credit report to see if my identity has been stolen? Yes, you might want to think about doing this if you think your identity has been stolen. You should order a copy of your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies: Equifax at www.equifax.com or by calling 1-800-685-1111, Experian at www.experian.com or by calling 1-888-397-3742, and TransUnion at www.transunion.com or by calling 1-800-916-8800.
What should I do if someone steals my identity? Contact the three credit reporting agencies as soon as possible and let them know that your identity has been stolen. Ask them to put a fraud alert and a statement from you as a victim in your credit report file. You can check the information on your credit report by ordering a copy of it from each agency.
Use these phone numbers or addresses to get in touch with the fraud units of the credit reporting agencies: Equifax: 1-800-525-6285, P.O. Box 74021, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241; Experian: 1-888-397-3742, P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013; and TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289, Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790.
If my ID has been stolen, should I close my credit card and bank accounts? Yes, if you think your identity has been stolen, you might want to close your credit and checking accounts. If someone stole your identity, you should let your bank and creditors know and think about closing your accounts and opening new ones.
If your checks are stolen, tell your bank to tell the company they use to check checks. You might also want to talk to the big companies that check checks.
You should call Telecheck at 1-800-710-9898 or 1-800-927-0188, Certegy Inc. at 1-800-437-5120, and International Check Services at 1-800-631-9656, which are the three largest check verification services.
You could also call Scan at 1-800-262-7771 to find out if your checks have been used by someone who stole your identity. You should also call the police in your area and let them know that your identity has been stolen.
Make sure you tell the Federal Trade Commission that someone stole your identity as well. This report can be made at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.
