IDENTITY THEFT

Who’s Got Your Number?

Everyone needs to check their credit at least once per year - especially if someone (a camping club for instance) threatens to make an adverse credit report against them.

Here’s how:

If you’re a victim of ID theft:

1. Contact your bank or credit union.

2. Contact one fraud unit (mandatory sharing among all credit bureaus, per FACT Act). Fraud alert will be placed on each of your credit reports within 24 hours.

3. Contact FTC’s ID Theft Hotline at 877-IDT-HEFT to speak with a counselor and report ID theft.

4. Contact each creditor (credit card companies, mortgage lender, credit union), and Social Security Administration to notify them of the fraud. Close all affected accounts. Follow each conversation with a letter and keep a copy. The FTC’s “ID theft affidavit” simplifies the process. Go to ftc.gov/idtheft.

5. File a report with local police department, and law enforcement agency where ID theft took place.

6. Get copies of police reports to send to creditors.

How to order your free credit report

• Get one free report per year from each agency:

www.annualcreditreport.com or Call 877-322-8228, or

o Send request form to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281,
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

• It’s also free if you’re:

1. Denied credit within the past 60 days

2. Victim of identity theft

THE BIG THREE CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES

MORE RESOURCES: