Tips for Identity Theft Victims
If you believe that you have now become a victim of identity theft, there are a few tips that will help you get started in fixing it. Hopefully, the suggestions will help you catch it early, before you entire credit history is destroyed.
The unfortunate thing is that once some one has stolen your identity, it is going to take you a lot of time and energy to fix it. There will also be some minor expenses involved in getting your credit report fixed.
First, run a copy of your credit report from all three reporting agencies. Check it thoroughly. Make sure you can identify every item on the report. If there are any newly opened credit card accounts that you know are not yours, call the creditor immediately.
Cancel and close every account that is not yours. Make sure, when you are talking to the credit card companies, that you take careful notes. Write down every person you speak to, the time you spoke to them and a summary of the conversation. Also ask for and keep a confirmation number for the conversation.
Once you have closed all the open accounts, freeze your credit report. Many states offer you the ability to completely freeze your credit. That means that absolutely no one can inquire about your credit history. There is a fee that each credit bureau charges but it will stop the thieves in their tracks. They will no longer have access to your credit.
The next step is where it becomes difficult. You need to get the credit card companies to remove the accounts from your credit report. Believe me, they are not going to go out of their way to help you. As far as they are concerned, you are guilty until you prove yourself otherwise.
You will need to collect all the information that you possible can to prove that you are not the person that opened the accounts and you did not authorize anyone else to do it for you. Make sure that you are still taking excellent notes. If you need to mail documentation, make sure you keep a copy for your records and send them certified so that someone has to sign for the documents. Also send it to the attention of someone. That way you know who is supposed to receive the correspondences.
If they are responding to you through email, make sure you print out both the inquires that you send and their responses to you. Do not trust them to remember what they have told you, make sure you have the “reminders” for them.
Hopefully, these tips will get you started in the right direction to fixing your credit report after becoming a victim of identity theft. If caught early, the damage will hopefully be minimized. Remember you are the only one that has your best interest at heart.