How to Report Identity Theft
If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission recommends you take the following steps as soon as possible.
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Place a fraud alert on your credit report by contacting the fraud departments of any one of the three consumer reporting bureaus listed below. The fraud alert directs creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. You only need to contact one of the three companies to place an alert. The company you call is required to contact the other two and they will place an alert on their versions of your report. Once you place the fraud alert in your file, you are entitled to order free copies of your credit reports, and request that the bureaus display only the last four digits of your Social Security number on your credit reports. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they are required to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
Contact information for the three consumer reporting companies :
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Report Fraud: 1800 525-6285; P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
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Order Report: 800 685-1111 or P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374
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Report Fraud:1888 EXPERIAN (397.3742); P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013
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Order Report: 866 200-6020 or P.O. Box 2104, Allen, TX 75013
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Report Fraud: 1800 680-7289; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
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Order Report: 800 888-4213 or P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022
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Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
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File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Get a copy of the report or at the very least, the number of the report, to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
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File your complaint with the Federal Trade Commission(FTC). The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps them learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that they can better assist you and other victims.
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Federal Trade Commission: 1 877-IDTHEFT (438-4338); attn: Identity Theft Clearing House, 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.ftc.gov/idtheft
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You should also maintain a record with the details of your conversations and keep copies of all correspondence.
In addition to the steps listed above, you may also want to consider the following, if applicable:
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Report the loss of your Driver’s License to the issuing agency and get a replacement with a new number (if possible)
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Report the loss of your Passport to the State Department 24-hr hotline at 202 955-0430
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Cancel your credit cards immediately. The key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
If your credit, debit or ATM card or information is lost or stolen:
- Report the incident to the card issuer immediately
- Cancel your account and open a new one
- Review billing statements carefully after the incident
- If the statements show unauthorized charges, send a letter to the card issuer via regular mail (keep a copy) describing each questionable charge
Credit Card Loss or Fraudulent Charges
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Your maximum liability under federal law for unauthorized use of your credit card is $50 (policies vary). If the loss involves your credit card number, but not the card itself, you have no liability for unauthorized use; in general, you may only be liable for a very small amount but always check with your individual card company for their exact policy.
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Your liability depends on how quickly the loss is reported. You risk unlimited loss by failing to report an unauthorized transfer within 60 days after your bank statement containing unauthorized use is mailed to you.
- Your liability under federal law for unauthorized use of your ATM or debit card depends on how quickly you report the loss.
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You risk unlimited loss if you fail to report unauthorized transfer within 60 days after your bank statement containing use is mailed to you.
- Report the theft to US Federal as quickly as possible
- Cancel your account and open a new one
What else can I do?
- Notify your bank(s) and ask them to flag your account and contact you regarding any unusual activity: If bank accounts were set up without your consent, close them;
- If your ATM card was stolen, get a new card, account number and PIN; Contact your local police department to file a criminal report;
- Contact the Social Security Administration's Fraud Hotline to report the unauthorized use of your personal identification information;
- Notify the Department of Motor Vehicles of your identity theft; Check to see whether an unauthorized license number has been issued in your name;
- Notify the passport office to watch for anyone ordering a passport in your name;
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission; Ask for a free copy of "ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen in Your Good Name";
For victims of Internet fraud, IFCC provides a convenient and easy reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of suspected criminal or civil violations.
If you see a suspicious-looking message claiming to be from US Federal Credit Union, please contact us. We continually monitor such reports and act on them promptly.
Additional Identify Theft Resource:
