You must act quickly once you realize you have become a victim of identity theft. Quick action may prevent a thief from making further use of your identity and may make the process of restoring your credit rating easier and less stressful. If you are victimized, you should take the following steps.
Document your actions
You’ll soon learn that you will need documentation when reporting identity theft. The following tips will prove useful to you and should make the process of restoring your good name and credit much easier:
- Keep a log of the date, time and substance of all of your personal and telephone conversations regarding the theft. The log also should include the name, title and telephone number of each person with whom you have spoken.
- Follow up each telephone call with a letter that confirms your conversation and any agreed-upon action. You should send all correspondence by certified mail, return receipt requested, and keep a copy of each letter and each return receipt.
- Keep all documentation regarding the theft of your identity in one folder or binder, readily accessible and clearly organized. In complex identity theft cases involving credit, banking and loan fraud, an expandable file with multiple compartments may be the best choice. Consider keeping a “journal” of actions in a computer file that can be easily updated and printed when necessary.
Contact local law enforcement officials
You should immediately file a complaint with your local police or the police in the community in which the identity theft took place. Give the police as much information and documentation as possible. Make certain that you are provided the case number and a copy of the police report. You’ll find that many creditors, banks, credit reporting agencies and insurance companies require proof of the crime. In many cases, your police report will help quicken the process of documenting the crime. Request that the law enforcement agency keep you informed of any criminal prosecution that may result from your complaint.
If a victim of identity fraud files a police report, the Consumer Data Industry Association, which is the trade association for consumer information reporting agencies, notes that its national credit bureau members—Equifax, TransUnion and Experian—will immediately delete fraudulent data without a re-investigation procedure.
