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What to Do if You Suspect Identity Theft

If you become aware of unexplained charges on your bank or credit card statements, or have noticed unauthorized activity or new accounts when reviewing your credit report, you may well be the victim of identity theft. If this is the case, it’s imperative that you take immediate action to prevent further financial damage to your accounts and credit rating. Here are some tips to help you combat identity theft crime:

If you suspect identity theft, examine credit card and bank statements carefully

Go back through your credit card and bank statements for several months to find any unauthorized or questionable transactions. If you find anything that suggests fraud, report it to your bank or credit card companies immediately; they will begin an investigation into the charges which may lead to finding the identity thief.

Contact a credit reporting agency to place a fraud alert on your account

If you suspect your personal financial information is being used by an identity thief, report it to one of the three credit bureaus as quickly as possible (see contact information below) and ask them to put a 90-day fraud alert in your credit file. The alert usually goes into effect within 48 hours and will let creditors know there has been suspicious activity on your accounts and that they need to contact you to authorize any new accounts, requests for additional cards on existing accounts, or requests to increase credit limits. This protection can be invaluable to stopping identity theft in its tracks.

Examine your credit report carefully if you suspect identity theft

When you call to have the fraud alert placed in your file, you are entitled to receive free copies of your credit report from the credit reporting agencies. Check the reports very carefully for any suspicious activity and report it to the agencies. With easy-to-follow online instructions, it’s a simple process to remove or correct false information on your report.

Continue to monitor your credit reports for fraudulent activity

All three credit agencies offer credit monitoring services which will alert you if any change has occurred in your credit file. There is generally a fee. You may contact each credit reporting agency for further information:

Identity theft protection services:

  • IdentityTruth
    • - IdentityTruth protects your entire identity, going beyond credit. Advanced technology analyzes data, pinpoints potential fraud, and helps you minimize your risk.

  • LifeLock Identity Theft Services
    • - LifeLock provides a proactive identity theft service, specializing in the prevention of identity theft rather than the reporting of it.

  • TrustedID
    • - TrustedID’s® mission is to proactively protect consumers against identity theft, especially as identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. Our innovative flagship product – IDFreeze® - stops identity theft before it ever happens.