| Sometimes
even the most cautious person finds him/herself the victim of identity theft.
If this happens to you, immediately contact one of the three major credit bureaus
to report the theft and request that a "fraud alert" be placed on your
file. A "fraud alert" will notify credit companies that they should
verify any new credit applications with you prior to their approval. The three
major credit reporting companies' numbers follow, and the first one that you contact
will notify the other two: Equifax:
800-525-6285 Experian: 888-397-3742 Trans Union: 800-680-7289 For
any accounts that have been fraudulently accessed or opened, you should contact
the security department of the appropriate creditor or financial institution,
report the activity and close the account. You should then file a report with
the police and retain the report number for future proof of the crime. You
should also contact the Identity Theft Clearinghouse toll-free at 877-ID-THEFT
(877-438-4338) to report the theft. Counselors there will record your complaint
and advise you how to deal with the credit-related problems that could result
from identity theft. Finally, you should complete
an ID Theft Affidavit.
This form is used to report information to multiple companies, thereby simplifying
the process of alerting companies where fraudulent accounts were opened. Developed
by the Federal Trade Commission in conjunction with banks, credit grantors and
consumer advocates, the ID Theft Affidavit is accepted by participating credit
issuers, retailers, banks, and other financial institutions, thus simplifying
the notification process. You can find step-by-step
instructions for dealing
with identity theft here. Check for additional resources on the US Government's
ID Theft website
and the ID
Theft Resource Center. If you suspect that only
your credit or debit card information has been
compromised, please click here.  Federally
insured by NCUA
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