Protect Against
Identity Theft

Identity Theft

1. What is identity theft?
2. How do thieves steal an identity?
3. What do thieves do with a stolen identity?
4. How can you find out if your identity was stolen?
5. What should you do if your identity is stolen?
6. What can you do to help fight identity theft?
7. Deter, Detect, Defend

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What should you do if your identity is stolen?

Repairing the damage caused by identity thieves may take time and money. Filing a police report, notifying creditors, and disputing any unauthorized transactions are steps you must take to restore your good name. More specific information on what to do is in section 4 of this guide, and in the FTC's guide, Take Charge: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft. Repairing the damage can be a costly, time-consuming, and stressful process.

And the more time that goes by before you detect the problem, the more time it may require to resolve it.

If you discover that your information or identity has been compromised, act quickly to inform the agencies that can be most helpful to you in stopping the illegal use of your good name and credit. Here are the most important groups to contact:

Credit Reporting Agencies

Notify any of the fraud departments of the three major credit-reporting agencies. A single call to just one agency is all you need to have a fraud alert placed on all three of your accounts within 24 hours. You can also get a free copy of your report.

Equifax Fraud Department: 888/766-0008

Experian Fraud Department: 888/397-3742

TransUnion Fraud Department: 800/680-7289

Order additional reports after you've resolved the problem to ensure that they reflect the changes. Check again every six months for at least a year.

Financial Institutions & Creditors

• Contact your credit union, other financial institutions, and your creditors to close the affected accounts and open new ones
• Change all personal identification numbers (PINs) and passwords, even on unaffected accounts

Notify Officials

• File an identity theft report in the police jurisdiction that you reside in
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission to report the crime
• Notify your local postal inspector if mail has been stolen. Mail theft is a federal crime
• Notify the Social Security Administration if your Social Security number has been used to gain employment