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How You Can Protect Your Credit PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Saturday, 19 July 2008 09:27
The most important things you can do to protect your credit are:

WHEN TRAVELING
  • Don’t leave the car rental agreement inside the car where thieves can get it.
  • Shred travel itineraries and ticket receipts issued by airlines and travel agents.

WHEN AT SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS
  • Refuse to write your address and phone number on credit slips, or credit card account numbers on checks.
  • Don’t let a clerk write your driver’s license number on your check if it’s the same as your Social Security Number.
Last Updated ( Saturday, 19 July 2008 10:04 )
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What to Do if You Are a Victim of Identity Theft PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Friday, 18 July 2008 10:39
If you suspect that you are a victim of identity fraud, act quickly!
Reportyour identity theft to the authorities and you should start a log of your efforts to protect yourself. This information could prove invaluable:
  • Record all conversations with your creditors, the authorities, etc.
  • Send correspondence by certified or registered mail.
  • Keep copies of all letters and documents.
  • Record the lengths of time you spent and any money you spent clearing your identity.

Follow these steps:

1. CONTACT THE AUTHORITIES
Report the crime to all police and sheriff’s departments with jurisdiction in your case. Until the new laws take place, credit card companies and banks may require you to show them the police report to convince them of your innocence.
Give the police/sheriff’s department as much documented evidence as possible, and get a copy of your police report. Make sure to take note of your the official taking the report.

2. PULL YOUR CREDIT REPORT!
Pull your credit report immediately to make sure no one has opened up new accounts in your name. Be aware, though, that new accounts may not show up for quite awhile (six months or more), so be sure and check frequently for the first year.
If accounts have been opened in your name, contact the creditors immediately.

3. PUT A FRAUD ALERT ON YOUR CREDIT REPORT
Immediately call the credit reporting agencies (CRAs). Fraud reporting hotlines for all three are listed below, but calling one will automatically share your information with the others. They will:
  • Flag your account with a fraud alert
  • Remove you from prescreened offers of credit
  • Report the fraud to the other agencies
  • Mail you complimentary copies of credit reports from all three agencies.

Typically, fraud alerts remain on your credit report for two years, and will prevent anyone (including yourself) from opening new accounts without additional verification.
Toll-free “Report Fraud” Hotlines:
Experian: 888-EXPERIAN, 888-397-3742
Equifax: 800-525-6285
TransUnion: 800-680-7289

4. IF YOUR CREDIT CARDS WERE STOLEN, CALL YOUR CREDITORS!
It’s important that you act quickly to limit your responsibility for fraudulent charges. Call your creditors and follow up your call with the facts in writing. Most creditors will issue replacement cards with new account numbers for accounts that have been used fraudulently with no trouble, if you act immediately. If fraudulent charges have been made to your accounts, at the very most you will be responsible for no more than $50.


5. IF YOUR CHECKS WERE STOLEN, NOTIFY YOUR BANKS!
If you’ve had checks stolen or bank accounts set up fraudulently, close your accounts immediately. It is also important to report the fraud to any of the following check verification companies your bank uses. Don’t rely on your bank to do this.

CheckRite: 800-766-2748
ChexSystems: 800-428-9623 (closed checking accounts)
National Processing Co. (NPC): 800-526-5380
SCAN: 800-262-7771
TeleCheck: 800-710-9898

6. IF YOUR ATM CARD(S) WAS STOLEN, ORDER A NEW ONE!
Again, time is of the essence. If your ATM or debit card has been stolen or compromised, report it immediately. When you open new accounts, insist on password-only access. Cancel the card and get another with a new PIN. Do not use your old password. When creating a password, don’t use common numbers like the last four digits of your Social Security Number or your birth date.

7. NOTIFY THE PASSPORT OFFICE
If you have a passport, notify the passport office in writing to be on the lookout for anyone ordering a passport (http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html).

If Your Social Security Number Has Been used
Call the Social Security Administration (SSA) to report fraudulent use of your Social Security Number. As a last resort, you might want to try to change your number.

Last Updated ( Friday, 18 July 2008 10:42 )
 


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