What to do if you have Identity Theft
- Call companies where you know fraud occurred
Call the Fraud Department. Explain what happened.
Ask them to close or freeze the accounts.
Change logins, passwords, and PINs on your accounts.
2. Place a fraud alert and get your credit reports.
Get your free credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Go to annualcreditreport.com.
3. Put a freeze on your credit file with each of the three credit bureaus.
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/
https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/credit-education/preventing-fraud/security-freeze/
https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
4. Report the Identity Theft with the FTC – https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/assistant
5. File a Police report with your local police department. Most creditors require you to file a police report when you contest fraudulent charges.
6. Write to each of the three credit bureaus. This sample letter can help.
Include a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report and proof of your identity, like your name, address, and Social Security number.
Explain which information on your report came from identity theft.
Ask them to block that information.
TransUnion.com
Fraud Victim Assistance Department
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
1-800-680-7289
Equifax.com
P.O. Box 105069
Atlanta, GA 30348-5069
1-800-525-6285
Experian.com
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
7. Monitor your credit report often! https://www.lendersccs.com/credit-monitoring-service