Identity Theft

Identity Theft Reporting

Swift identity theft reporting is essential as soon as you realize your identity has been stolen. The first step in identity theft reporting is to notify the local police because you're likely to need a police report going forward. Some financial agencies will require that you complete a police report before they will reimburse you for the losses when reporting identity theft.

The contact information for your local police station can be located in the front of your community telephone book or in the section under municipal government. Don't call 911 to report an identity theft as that number is for emergencies only. To make identity theft reporting easier, you can use the ID Theft Victim Information For and give it to the police to aid them in completing their report.

To minimize your financial liability for any unauthorized transactions an identity thief my complete in your name, contact all financial institutions with which you do business, as well as any companies whose credit cards you hold, as soon as you suspect your personal information has been stolen. This is an important part of identity theft reporting because unlike credit cards, fund stolen from your personal bank account may not be replaceable.

After you've contacted your financial institutions, contact all your credit card companies. If your charge cards are from the same institution you bank with, the staff there may be able to assist you with both issues at the same time. You'll usually find the contact phone number on the back of your credit card. If your credit card has been stolen, now you understand why it's important to keep all this information in a safe place. If all else fails, you should find the contact information on one of your billing statements.

Some identity thieves will open checking accounts in your name. Subsequently, you may receive notices of bounced checks from companies to which you have never written checks. There are a number of check-verification companies used by retail stores to verify your checks

If the identity theft involves a student loan, your first identity theft reporting activity should be to contact the school or program that opened the student loan. If you've received requests for payment of a student loan you did not apply for, contact the school where the loan was opened. At the same time, report the fraudulent loan the US Department of Education.

Still other ID thieves will try to file for bankruptcy in your name. Doing so allows them to avoid paying debts they've accumulated in your name and hide their own assets from the bankruptcy trustee. For example, the identity thief may lease a residence and obtain credit under your name. When he or she accumulates a large debt load, he or she files for bankruptcy under your name to escape the consequences.

The US Trustee in your region can confirm if someone has filed for bankruptcy in your name. The US Trustee Program is a part of the Department of Justice and assists law enforcement agencies like the FBI in the investigation of bankruptcy fraud.