Single Mom’s Fight Back Against Identity Theft

Identity Theft is Serious Business

You could be denied credit, mortgages, jobs, educational opportunities, and even arrested for crimes committed in your name.

Even though you must spend your own time and money repairing the damage, it’s essential you do so.

You must watch out for these warning signs that someone has stolen your identity:

You suddenly stop receiving monthly bank statements or credit card bills.
You start getting bills from companies you don’t recognize.
You are denied loans or credit for no reason you can think of.
Collection agencies begin contacting you about debts you didn't create.

Acting fast is key in limiting the damage.

Take these emergency steps set out by the Federal Trade Commission as soon as you suspect your identity has been stolen:

Call in Identity Theft Fraud Alerts

Notify the fraud department of one of the three major credit bureaus, and ask them to place a fraud alert on your credit file.

They will notify the other two bureaus and have them do the same.

This alert flags your file so creditors will contact you before they open any new accounts in your name or, make changes to your existing accounts.

This initial alert will expire after a certain amount of time and, you must call each bureau to renew it.

Review Your Credit Reports for Identity Theft

As soon as you have placed fraud alerts, each bureau will send you a free copy of your credit report.

Look it over carefully for suspicious activity, like accounts you didn't open or unexplained debts.

Order your reports periodically the first year following the crime, then at least once a year thereafter.

Write a letter to dispute fraudulent activity on your credit report, and send it to the credit bureaus.

Choose Your Identity Theft Accounts

Contact credit card companies, utility companies, banks, lenders, and other creditors, and ask to speak with someone in their security or fraud department.

First, close any existing accounts you know the thief tampered with, as well as any new accounts he opened.

Next, open new accounts with different passwords and personal identification numbers.

Don’t go for the obvious like your mother’s maiden name, your birthday, phone number, or the last four digits of your social security number.

These are too easy to guess.

Dispute Debts about Identity Theft in Writing

Phone calls aren’t enough.

It’s crucial to tell your creditors about the fraud in writing.

Otherwise, they could still hold you liable for the bad debts.

To challenge charges made to one of your existing accounts, mail a dispute letter to the creditor telling them which charges are fraudulent.

To dispute new accounts a thief opened in your name, fill out an ID Theft Affidavit, a form put out by the Federal Trade Commission, and mail it to the creditor.

Some creditors may require you to fill out one of their own fraud forms. Ask which they prefer when you call.

Insist the creditor send you a letter saying they have forgiven the fraudulent debts and closed the unauthorized accounts.

You may need this information in writing if these same bad debts reappear on your credit report.

File a Police Report about Identity Theft

An official police report builds your case and may protect you from creditors on fraudulent debts.

Give the police as much information as you can, then get a copy of the report.

Your creditors may need proof of the crime to forgive the debts.

Plus, the credit bureaus will automatically block or erase any fraudulent activity from your credit report if you send them a police report.

Complain to the Federal Trade Commission About Identity Theft

File a complaint about the crime with the Federal Trade Commission.

This government agency tracks trends in identity theft and gathers information to help solve future cases.

Filing a complaint also helps government officials understand how widespread this crime is.

Stay Organized to Fight Identity Theft

You could spend weeks or even months undoing the damage from identity theft.

The Federal Trade Commission offers these tips to help keep you organized:

Keep a notebook. Write down the name and company of everyone you speak to, what they told you, and the date of the conversation.
Follow up all phone conversations in writing.
Make copies of every piece of correspondence you mail regarding your case.
Only mail copies, not originals, of police reports, sales slips, or other supporting documents. Keep the originals in your own files.
Send all correspondence by certified mail, and request a return receipt. This way you can prove the date a creditor received your letter.
Save your files, even after you think the case is closed. Problems could crop up later on.