What to Do If You Are a Victim of Identity Theft

• Author: Daniel A Edelman
• Profession: Lawyer
• Pages: 115-118

115

What to Do If You Are

aVictim of Identity Theft

CHAPTER

24

Recognizing That Your Identity Has Been Stolen

Telltale signs of identity theft include the following:

•Bills/collection contacts/financial institution statements concerning transactions you know

nothing about

•Inquiries on your credit reports from businesses that you do not recognize or have not done

business with

•Information/transactions on your credit report that do not belong to you (this can also be a

“mixed-file” problem)

•Changes in your credit score that are not consistent with your own credit activity

•Notices from businesses that your information has been compromised by a data breach

•Failure to receive bills/statements you expect to receive (because they have been rerouted by the

identity thief)

•Your checks being refused acceptance

Repairing Damage to Your Credit Report—Reports You Must File

Identity-theft victims must go through a lengthy and sometimes frustrating process to correct the harm.

It is important to act promptly, document all actions taken, and insist that creditors and credit bureaus

comply with their legal obligations.

If you suspect that accounts were opened through identity theft, call the creditors involved. Ask

for the fraud department. Explain that someone stole your identity. Insist that they close or freeze the

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