Steps that you can be taken if you are a victim of identity theft

You need to follow four simple steps as soon as you come to know that you are a victim of identity theft. You should always keep written proof and other details ready and handy.

The steps that need to be followed are as follows:

Step 1: Alert the credit agencies regarding identify theft and also check all you credit reports.
By doing this you can prevent the thieves from opening more accounts in your name and using your personal details. You should immediately contact any of the three consumer offence reporting agencies listed below and report the fraud that you think has been committed. Once you contact anyone of these agencies an alert is sent to the other two agencies by this agency. Once you do not receive an alert from any one of these agencies you should go ahead and personally contact them immediately.

The contact details of these agencies are as below:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

The companies can then provide you with a detailed copy of your credit report and these agencies are located all over the nation. You can also request these agencies to mention only the last four digits of your social security number on this report. The credit report once received by should be then reviewed very carefully by you, mark all the transactions that you have not done and all the accounts that have not been opened by you. Make a note of all your transaction and the personal details that are mentioned about you; be sure that all this information is correct. After this regularly check all your credit reports periodically at least for the first couple of years. This will help you detect any identity theft that might occur.

Step 2: Stop all the accounts that you think have been a victim of identity theft:
Make sure to contact all these companies and an officer in their fraud department. This should be followed by a written correspondence where you inform the company about all the problem that you might have faced. This correspondence should always be accompanied with a proof of the supporting documents. These mails should be sent with a return receipt request as this will serve as a proof of you informing these companies. Keep these receipts with you.
Make sure that a new PIN number is used by you every time you open a new account or have a new debit card. You should always information that is not easily assessable to anyone like you date of birth, pets name or your social security name etc.

If changes have been made to your account details by these thieves make sure you inform the companies regarding it and also make the necessary changes to the account.
Request should be sent to the companies where changes have been made in your existing account to provide you with a fraud dispute form or request them to provide you with details on how to draft a letter for such a case and then such mails should be sent to the billing department of the company.

Once you are sure that all the companies have been informed and they are happy with your arguments, request them to send you a letter of acceptance and also of closure of accounts that have been opened by the thieves. This will serve as a proof if these matters are ever reflected in your credit report.

Step 3: The next step is to file a report with the FTC:
This helps the FTC which is a nation wide organization to track down the thieves and get hold of them. This also serves as a way for them to get help from other government departments who can help them track these miscreants and also help these agencies to track the companies for violation of carious laws.

The complaint can be made online using the online forms or you can always contact them at their toll free hot line number 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261; you can also write to them at Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
You should make sure to call the hotline number if you have any updates regarding the identity theft that has occurred.

Step 4: The last and the most important step is to file a police complaint at the place where this theft has taken place.

After filing a report one should get a copy of this report that has been filed by you or at least the report number. This will help you handle the creditors who want a proof of the crime taking place. You can also contact the state attorney who can direct you with the steps that need to be taken to identify the thief.

While reporting the case with the local police make sure you take along with you the copy of the form filled by you with FTC and also carry proof of the theft actually taking place. Then request the officer to sign on the "Law Enforcement Report" on this form. If the officer requests you for more details on the identity proof he can always visit the official FTC wed site. In some place the officer might not be able to give you a copy of the report to you however request him to fill the details in the report.

What are the steps to be taken if one feels that the local police will not take a report?
The various federal agencies including state and local police are being educated about the effects of identity theft, the trauma that is faced by its victims and also to make them know the importance of taking a report when someone come to make such an report. However it is not uncommon to know of some departments which are not taking these reports. The steps to be taken if you have any problem while making filing a report are:

1. You should try and provide as mush information as possible to these agencies regarding identity theft. You should always carry along with you copies of various credit reports, bills, debt collection reports, a copy of identity theft complaint etc, these are important indications to the police that it is a must for them t file a report for you to secure rights and this also helps you to prove your point that this case is true and legitimate.

2. Be stubborn try your best to get the report made even if the authorities are reluctant to file a case. Tell them about the importance of this report and also that various creditors require this report to prove your point legitimate. Tell them that various consumer reporting agencies will only block you fake accounts and help you from bad debts coming in your account only if you have a copy of this report. The police report is also needed to have a copy of the fraudulent application form and other records' from these companies.

3. Ask the cops to file a Miscellaneous Incident Report if they say that identity theft is not a crime in your state.

4. If the local police doesn't help contact the county police or the state police regarding this issue.
In some states it is necessary for the state police to make note of identity theft and to report the same, this can be checked by visiting the State Attorney Generals office or by visiting www.naag.com.

What do thieves do with a stolen identity?
Some of the ways that this personal information is used are:
Credit Care Fraud: The fraudsters may acquire credit cards in your name and do shopping and spend the money on it and once the bills are not paid it get reflected on your credit report. By changing your billing address they may send these bills to some other location. By doing this they will continue spending the money on your credit card and by the time you realize that something is wrong it is too late and you may have to pay all the bills.

Phone or Utilities Fraud: Using your personal information they may open or transfer a phone or a cellular connection. They will make full use of this phone and run up huge bills in your name. They might even use this information to get service like electricity, cable TV, etc.
Bank/Finance Fraud:

1. They may use your personal details to create fake cheque.
2. They might even use your personal information to open up bank accounts and then issue cheque with no money in the account.
3. They will use all the personal information to make a fake debit or credit card and then withdraw money using it to drain your account.
4. Another simple thing that they may do is to take loans and credit using your name and personal details.

Government Documents Fraud:
1. They may use your personal information to acquire official documents and identity proof like license etc.
2. They may use your personal details to get various benefits that are offered by the government.
3. They may even use your details to file a fake tax return.

Other Frauds:
1. They may use your personal detail and social security number to get jobs.
2. They may use your name and other details to get various medical facilities and also to hire a house using your name.
3. They may use your personal details when they are caught for some kind of crime and when they escape or are not present in the court during the hearing a warrant may be issued in your name.
How can you find out if your identity was stolen?

In most cases the consumers come to know about their identity theft only when some damage is already done.
1. The consumer may come to know about it when recovery agencies or bill collection companies contact you to get their bills cleared.
2. While applying for a loan, you may realize that you loans are not being sanctioned because of a bad credit history.
3. When you are contacted in anyway about some service that you never took or a house you never rented or even a job you never had.

Some of the best ways is to keep a track on your account and bank statements and to check your credit history on a regular basis. By doing this you will find out about any kind of identity theft at the earliest and restrict the damages caused.