Identity Theft Assistance

Preparing yourself prior to becoming a victim…

Shred anything that contains personal information and/or account information

Do not carry personal information documents with you in your purse and/or wallet unless you will need them at the time.  Items listed below should be stored in a safe place in your home unless needed at the time of possession:

• Birth Certificates                       Social Security cards           Insurance Cards
• Checks and/or pay stubs        Utility Bills                            Vehicle Titles
• Any documents that possess your social security number

Make a copy of the front and back of each credit, debit, and merchant card

• Assure that account numbers and customer service phone numbers are all readable
• Keep these photo copies locked in a secure location

·    By opting out of pre-approved offers you cut the chances of these offers being sent to the wrong people or being stolen in the mail and later
used to commit crimes using your identity.  At the same time, you use the opting out option you should request the following statement be placed on all of your credit reports to stop criminals from being able to obtain instant credit in your name:

“DO NOT GRANT ANY CREDIT WITHOUT FIRST NOTIFYING ME BY PHONE OR THROUGH THE MAIL.”

          To opt out with Experian write to:                         To opt out with Equifax write to:
          Consumer Opt-Out                                                   Equifax Options
          701 Experian Parkway                                               P.O. Box 740123
          Allen, TX 75013                                                        Atlanta, GA 30374-0123

          To opt out with Trans Union write to:                 To opt out of Junk Mail mailing lists:
          Trans Union Marketing List Opt-Out                  Mail Preference Service
          P.O. Box 97328                                                         P.O. Box 643
          Jackson, MS 39288-7328                                        Carmel, NY 10512
                                                                      www.the-dma.org/consumers/offmailinglist.html

What to do when your identity or financial accounts have been fraudulently used…

Contact each merchant and financial institution that you have an account with

• Use the information that is on the photocopies of each credit, debit and merchant card you own 
• Inform each of them that your accounts may be compromised and you want to close your account
• Request information pertaining to what steps you need follow in the event that your account is fraudulently used due to the recent event.

         Equifax Credit Information Services, Inc.            Experian Information Solutions, Inc.
         (800)525-6285 / TDD (800)255-0056                      (888)397-3742 / TDD (800)972-0322 
         P.O. Box 740241                                                        P.O. Box 9530
         Atlanta, GA 30374-0241                                          Allen, TX 75013
         www.equifax.com                                                     www.experian.com

         Trans Union
          (800)680-7289 / TDD (877)553-7803
          Fraud Victim Assistance Division
          P.O. Box 6790
          Fullerton, CA 92634-6790
        www.transunion.com

Contact the Federal Trade Commission and alert them of your victimization

·    (877)ID-THEFT / (877)438-4338    www.consumer.gov/idtheft

Contact the Social Security Administration and alert them of your victimization

·    (800)269-0271     P.O. Box 17768 Baltimore, MD 21235

If your victimization includes the usage of your identity associated with stolen checks being cashed then you must also contact each of the following agencies to alert them of the compromised checking account information being used. (ONLY contact these agencies if YOUR checks were stolen and you have account information to supply them)

• SCAN:                                  (800)269-0271                     Global Payments                   (800)766-2748 
• Check Rite                            (800)638-4600                     Chex Systems                       (800)328-5121
• Telecheck                             (800)710-9898                     E-funds                                  (800)428-9623 
• Int. Check Service               (800)526-5380                     Cross Check                          (707)586-0551
• Nation Check Fraud            (843)571-2143                     ational Processing                (800)526-5380

When you receive your credit report – review it.  Make sure all reported accounts were valid and established with your knowledge.  If they were not DISPUTE the account.  Instruction on DISPUTES are listed below from ID Theft Services (www.idfraud.org):

• If after reviewing your Credit Reports you find the wrong information listed on your reports, you need to DISPUTE the information.
• Disputing the information is simply writing a letter to the Credit Report Agency and telling them why the information on your report is wrong.
• Give the Credit Report Agency as much information as possible.  This will make it easier for them to investigate the situation and return an answer to you, within thirty (30) days as required in the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• The best way to dispute information on your credit report is by sending your dispute letter certified mail and marked RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED.  Maintain a copy of all letters sent out and all letters returned.  This gives you a record showing that you tried to correct the problem. When writing to dispute an account on your credit report, always include the following statement in your letter:
• “Please remove the information I asked you to remove, permanently and forever, from your records, the records of the reporting banks or businesses and from all magnetic tapes.  Send me an updated copy of my report when this has been completed.”
• This process may have to be completed with each business, bank, and/or entity placing claim on each disputed charge on your credit report. They may need a copy of your police report.