Follow these recommendations if you suspect or know that you have been a victim of identity theft.
Contact the Credit Bureaus
Place a fraud alert on your credit report by notifying the credit bureaus (listed below) of any identity theft incidents. You only need to contact one as the agency you call is required to contact the other two. When you place a fraud alert on your credit report, any new credit requests or changes to existing account information will be reviewed very carefully to verify the requestor.
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian: 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
Contact ChexSystems
Contact ChexSystems at 888-478-6536 to place a security alert on the compromised checking and savings accounts when a deposit account has been impacted.
Report ID theft to the Federal Trade Commission
Call 1-877-IDTHEFT (877-438-4338) or TTY 1-866-653-4261 to report ID theft so that law enforcement across the country can use the information to help with its investigations. You can also report ID theft to the FTC online at identitytheft.gov.
Contact the Social Security Administration
If you think your identity or Social Security number has been compromised, call the Social Security Administration Fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
Order a credit report
Review your credit reports carefully looking for any inconsistencies. If you find information on your credit report that you think is the result of identity theft (personal information or accounts), you can request the credit bureau to remove that information from your credit report. Continue to check your credit reports periodically, especially for the first year after you discover identity theft, to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.
Close fraudulent accounts
If you find accounts have been opened in your name without your knowledge contact the company directly and ask to have them closed. Inform the company that the account was opened fraudulently. Keep detailed notes of your conversation and ask for documentation showing the account has been closed.
File a police report
Contact your local and state law enforcement agency to file a report to help you with creditors who may need more information. A police report will be useful and if often required to close out fraudulent accounts.