Have you been a victim of identity theft? Are you looking for some ideas on what to do? You have come to the right place! Let’s talk today about some of the steps to take if you ever are a victim of identity theft.
1. Immediately place a fraud alert on all your credit reports. This will hopefully prevent any further abuse, as a fraud alert requires creditors to follow special procedures before a new account can be opened in your name. A fraud alert lasts 90 days, but you can always call again to reissue it if needed.
2. When you place a fraud alert, you also receive free copies of your credit reports. Double and triple check them for errors or further signs of theft.
3. Close the account that was tampered with.
4. File a police report.
Once you have done these four steps instantly after you discover the fraud, you may want to start to analyze the weakness in your theft prevention that led to the actual theft. You may never actually know how it happened, but covering some of the basic ways it can happen may help.
Common sources of identity theft include:
1. Trash – they take it from dumpsters or even your curb. Be diligent about shredding all documents before you recycle them.
2. Internet – watch what you input into the web and where. Ideally try to avoid ever giving out personal information unless you are 100% sure about the website you are working on.
3. Phishing – this can happen multiple ways. Thieve pose as legitimate businesses in order to steal your identity. Phishing is commonly found in your email box, but also can be phone solicitations or even the door-to-door salesman.
4. Actual theft – they steal your mail, wallet, computer and then use the information they find to steal your identity.
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