FTC Consumer Alert

Federal Trade Commission ■ Bureau of Consumer Protection ■ Office of Consumer and Business Education

Identity Crisis...

What to Do If Your Identity is Stolen

“I don’t remember opening that credit card account.

And I certainly didn’t buy those items I’m being billed for.”

Maybe you never opened that account, but someone else did...someone who used your name and

personal information to commit fraud. When an imposter co-opts your name, your Social Security

number (SSN), your credit card number, or some other piece of your personal information for their

use — in short, when someone appropriates your personal information without your knowledge — it’s

a crime, pure and simple.

The biggest problem? You may not know your identity’s been stolen until you notice that

something’s amiss: you may get bills for a credit card account you never opened, your credit report

may include debts you never knew you had, a billing cycle may pass without your receiving a statement, or you may see charges on your bills that you didn’t sign for, didn’t authorize, and don’t know

anything about.

First Things First

If someone has stolen your identity, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that you

take three actions immediately.

First, contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus. Tell them to

flag your file with a fraud alert including a statement that creditors should get your permission before

opening any new accounts in your name.

At the same time, ask the credit bureaus for copies of your credit reports. Credit bureaus must give

you a free copy of your report if it is inaccurate because of fraud. Review your reports carefully to

make sure no additional fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or unauthorized changes

made to your existing accounts. In a few months, order new copies of your reports to verify your

corrections and changes, and to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.

Toll-free 1-877-IDTHEFT www.consumer.gov/idtheft
Order credit report Report fraud Web site

Equifax 800-685-1111 800-525-6285 www.equifax.com

Experian 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) 888-EXPERIAN www.experian.com

Trans Union 800-916-8800 800-680-7289 www.tuc.com

Second, contact the creditors for any accounts that have been tampered with or opened

fraudulently. Ask to speak with someone in the security or fraud department, and follow up in writing. Following up with a letter is one of the procedures spelled out in the Fair Credit Billing Act for

resolving errors on credit billing statements, including charges that you have not made.

Third, file a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity

theft took place. Keep a copy in case your creditors need proof of the crime.

Next, Take Control

Although identity thieves can wreak havoc on your personal finances, there are some things you

can do to take control of the situation. Here’s how to handle some of the most common forms of

identity theft.

If an identity thief has stolen your mail for access to new credit cards, bank

and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers and tax information or

falsified change-of-address forms, (s)he has committed a crime. Report it to your

local postal inspector.

If you discover that an identity thief has changed the billing address on an existing credit card

account, close the account. When you open a new account, ask that a password be used before

any inquiries or changes can be made on the account. Avoid using easily available information

like your mother’s maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your

phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers. Avoid the same information and numbers when you create a Personal Identification Number (PIN).

If you have reason to believe that an identity thief has accessed your bank accounts,

checking account or ATM card, close the accounts immediately. When you open new accounts, insist on password-only access. If your checks have been stolen or misused, stop payment. If

your ATM card has been lost, stolen or otherwise compromised, cancel the card and get another with

a new PIN.

If an identity thief has established new phone or wireless service in your name and is making

unauthorized calls that appear to come from — and are billed to — your cellular phone, or is using

your calling card and PIN, contact your service provider immediately to cancel the account and

calling card. Get new accounts and new PINs.

If it appears that someone is using your SSN when applying for a job, get in

touch with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify the accuracy of

your reported earnings and that your name is reported correctly. Call (800)

772-1213 to check your Social Security Statement.
In addition, the SSA may issue you a new SSN at your request if, after trying to resolve the problems brought on by identity theft, you continue to experience problems. Consider this option carefully.

A new SSN may not resolve your identity theft problems, and may actually create new problems. For

example, a new SSN does not necessarily ensure a new credit record because credit bureaus may

combine the credit records from your old SSN with those from your new SSN. Even when the old

credit information is not associated with your new SSN, the absence of any credit history under your

new SSN may make it more difficult for you to get credit. And finally, there’s no guarantee that a new

SSN wouldn’t also be misused by an identity thief.

If you suspect that your name or SSN is being used by an identity thief to get a driver’s license,

report it to your Department of Motor Vehicles. Also, if your state uses your SSN as your driver’s

license number, ask to substitute another number.

Stay Alert

Taking the steps outlined here should, in most cases, resolve your identity theft problems, but

identity theft or related credit problems may reoccur. Stay alert to new instances of identity theft.

Notify the company or creditor that’s involved immediately. Follow up in writing.

Order a copy of your credit report from the three credit bureaus every year to check on their

accuracy and whether they include only those debts and loans you’ve incurred. This could be very

important if you’re considering a major purchase, such as a house or a car. A credit bureau may

charge you up to $9.00 for a copy of your report.

Complaint Clearinghouse

If you’ve been a victim of identity theft, file a complaint with the FTC by contacting the FTC’s

Identity Theft Hotline by telephone: toll-free 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338); TDD: 202-326-2502; by

mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20580; or online: www.consumer.gov/idtheft. Ask for a copy of ID Theft: When Bad

Things Happen to Your Good Name, a free comprehensive consumer guide to help you guard against

and recover from identity theft.

For More Information

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in

the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a

complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-

FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity

theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to

hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

February 2000
Chart Your Course of Action

Use this form to record the steps you’ve taken to report the fraudulent use of your identity.Keep this list in a safe place for reference.Credit Bureaus — Report FraudBanks, Credit Card Issuers and Other Creditors(Contact each creditor promptly to protect your legal rights.)

Law Enforcement Authorities — Report Identity Theft

Bureau Phone Number Date Contacted Contact Person Comments

Creditor Address and Phone Number Date Contacted Comments Contact Person

Federal TradeCommission 1-877-IDTHEFT

Local PoliceDepartment

1-800-680-7289

Equifax 1-800-525-6285

Experian 1-888-397-3742

TransUnion

Agency/Deptment Date Contacted Contact Person Comments Phone Number Report Number