What To Do If You
Have Been The Victim
of Identity Theft
Report the identity theft to the police or
sheriff in the area where you live.
Identity theft is usually a felony and charges
may be filed against the suspect. Once you
have filed a report, ask for a report number.
You will need this to help correct your credit
rating.
Report the identity theft to your financial institution and other creditors.
Investigation / Prosecution
Identity Theft cases can be difficult - but not
impossible - to investigate and prosecute.
This is due to:
Jurisdiction
• Identity Theft is a crime that can be committed over great distances, especially via
the Internet.
• O
ften, the victim(s) and suspect(s) may
be in different states or even in different
countries.
Notify the Social Security Administration regarding fraud with your Social
Security Number.
Notify DMV if your driver’s license or
ID Card was stolen or misused.
Identity Theft
A Guide to
Protecting Your
Identity
Federal Trade Commission
www.consumer.gov/idtheft
1-877-idtheft (438-4338)
Contact all three credit bureaus and
have a “Fraud Alert” placed in your file.
Notify the US Postal Inspection Service
if your mail has been stolen.
If you are the victim of identity theft, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can file a complaint with the FTC
online at: www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/;
or call the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline,
toll-free: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338);
TTY: 1-866-653-4261; or write: Identity
Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington DC 20580.
Here are some other resources for reporting identity theft and protecting your
credit history:
Close any accounts that have been tampered
with. You may be asked to fill out affidavits
of fraud or forgery. Your bank or creditor can
assist you with opening new accounts.
The credit bureaus are required to block
information resulting from identity theft. They
are also required to block any adverse information on your credit report that results from
identity theft.
Help for Victims
Where to Go For Help
Better Business Bureau
www.boise.bbb.org/
Time
Attorney General’s Office
www2.state.id.us/ag/
• M
any victims don’t realize they have been
victimized until months or years after the
crime has occurred.
Courtesy of
Boise Police Department
www.boisepolice.org
208-570-6000
• T
his is why it is so critical to check your
statements and credit regularly.
Ease
• Identity theft can be done relatively easily
and anonymously.
Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 377-6790
• T
his is why it is so important to be careful
with your personal information.
November 2010
Introduction
Identity theft is one of the most devastating
scams a consumer can fall victim to. Because
of the nature of the crime, victims often do
not realize their identity has been stolen until
they are denied credit, turned down for a job
or sent a bill for purchases they did not make.
By that time, the consumer’s good name and
credit history may be ruined. Rebuilding good
credit in the aftermath of identity theft can
take months or even years.
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your
personal identifying information – like your
name, Social Security number or credit card
number – without your permission, to commit
fraud or other crimes.
Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in
the U.S. Last year alone, more than 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft, a
crime that cost them roughly $5 billion.
We hope you never find yourself as the victim
of identity theft. If you do, this brochure
should help you regain your true credit history
with the least amount of time, cost and effort.
How Does Someone
Steal Your Identity?
Major Credit Bureaus:
Equifax
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
1-800-525-6285 (report fraud)
www.equifax.com
• C
areless sharing of personal information “shoulder surfing.”
• B
urglary / Theft - from cars, home, workplace, etc.
• M
ail Theft - both incoming and outgoing
mail.
• “ Dumpster Diving” - from both homes
and businesses.
• H
ave your checks delivered to your bank
instead of your home.
• Compter Intrusion via the Internet.
• D
on’t have your Social Security Number
or driver’s license number printed on
your checks.
• “ Pretexting” - obtaining your information
under false pretenses.
• Credit Card “Skimming.”
• “ Sanitize” or shred any sensitive documents
that you would normally throw away.
Tips to Avoid
Becoming a Victim
• R
emove your name from mailing lists,
Internet sites, etc., call (888-5OPTOUT)
888-567-8688
• N
ever share personal information with
someone you don’t know or for unnecessary reasons.
• H
ave a firewall program running anytime
you are connected to the Internet.
• D
on’t carry sensitive identity information
(like your Social Security Card) in your
purse or wallet. Keep those items secured
at home.
• P
ick-up your incoming mail as soon as
possible after delivery. Consider a P.O.
Box if this is a problem.
• W
hen planning your vacation, call the
U.S. Postal Service to request a mail hold:
1-800-275-8777, or www.usps.com/holdmail.
• N
ever place outgoing mail in your curbside mailbox. Use a Postal Service collection box instead.
• When
traveling or making Internet purchases, use a credit card instead of a debit
card. Fraudulent charges are easier to
resolve with a credit card.
• B
e on guard when using the Internet. For
practical tips to protect you from Internet
fraud, secure your computer and protect
your personal information online, visit:
www.OnGuardOnline.gov.
• S
elect intricate passwords for Internetaccessible accounts. Avoid using easily
guessed information like your mother’s
maiden name, your birth date or your
phone number. Combinations of letters,
numbers and special characters make the
strongest passwords.
• D
elete all files containing personal information before disposing of a computer.
• C
arefully review your financial statements
on a regular basis for possible errors and/
or fraud.
• Check your credit regularly.
Experian
P.O. Box 9352
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742 (report fraud)
www.experian.com
Trans Union
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834
1-800-680-7289 (report fraud)
www.transunion.com
Your Access to
Free Credit Reports
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
requires each of the nationwide consumer
reporting companies – Equifax, Experian
and Trans Union – to provide you with
a free copy of your credit report, at your
request, once every 12 months. The
FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy
of information in the files of the nation’s
consumer reporting companies.
To order, visit www.annualcreditreport.
com, call 1-877-322-8228 or complete
the Annual Credit Report Request Form
(available at www.ftc.gov/credit) and
mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request
Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.