Identity Theft and What To Do After You're Victimized
By Sgt. Thomas Jedic
First, let's set the tone..by now you realize that often, no matter how honest and trusting you are..many others aren't. Some people make a living off deceit and theft and take advantage of stealing your name and all the hard work and honesty you've accumulated over the years. And, unfortunately, even after all of your hard work at preventing identity theft, it only takes one dishonest person or employee of a legitimate business to steal your personal information. So, now that we've establish how unfair society can sometimes be, let's talk about what you do next!
First..call your local police department and file a police report. Try to be as detailed as possible, you may find it easier to go to the police department in person rather than telephoning in a report. But whatever course of action you choose, always call the police. Once you do make the report, always retain a copy of it for yourself, this will assist you with future reports and possible disputes with businesses and so forth about fraud and purchases. Always record the names of any police, law enforcement personnel or company employees you speak with. Once you have notified the police, you should also call the three major credit bureaus without delay. You should do this by telephone, in writing and then request a copy of your personal credit report from each of the three bureaus (contact information will be listed below in this article)
After you do that, contact your local post office, the one which normally handles you mail. Make them aware of your problem and check with your local Postmaster. He or she should be able to inform you if any of your mail has been divereted to a different address without your actual knowledge, and if so, where it was re-routed to. Ask your Postmaster to provide you with the United States Postal Inspectors Office contact information, they are experts in identity theft cases and if the mail is involved, can take the case as a Federal violation. Credit card theft can also involve the United States Secret Service, another Federal agency with great investigative background in this type of criminal activity.
If checks are stolen, contact your bank immediately, as well as credit card companies, the division of motor vehicles if it's your license being used and the Social Security Administration if your social security number is being used..
Good Advice...make all the calls you need, don't become too tired and have patience...it may take quite a long time to clear up any identity theft, but clear, consistent record keeping is the key to finally setting things right. It's not easy to address, but it is critical that you do so.
Make detailed records of dates, times and names of anyone and everyone you speak to or write to. Make sure you retain copies of any letters you write to anyone involved in trying to help you straighten this problem out. For assistance, I've included some helpful information addresses and telephone numbers below. Print this out, cut out the information and post it somewhere you can retrieve it just in case you or someone you know may fall victim to identity theft....as always, be alert..I suggest you get copies of your credit report twice a year at least, just to check the activity and make sure all of the information applies to you! Be smart, and take the time to do things right....
Credit Bureaus:
Equifax
PO Box 740250Atlanta , Georgia 30374
1-800-525-6285
Experian (TRW)
PO Box 1017Allen Texas 75013
1-888-397-3742
Trans Union
PO Box 6790Fullerton, California 92634
1-800-680-7289
Sgt. Thomas Jedic of the Fanwood, NJ Police Department is involved in Community Policing and local Senior's affairs. More of Sgt. Jedic's tips can be found on the Fanwood Community Policing Page
