Tips for Action if Your Wallet or Personal Information is Stolen
Many Americans will have a wallet, purse or personal information stolen during their lifetime. Since a quick response is important, it is a good idea to know what to do before it happens.
1. File a police report, then immediately contact all three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) to place a fraud alert on your account. This means that companies issuing new credit accounts in your name will have to call you to obtain permission first. The alert will last for only 90 days. If you've been a victim of identity theft and can provide a police report, you can extend the alert to seven years.
Equifax 1-800-525-6285
Experian 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion 1-800-680-7289
2. Close any accounts, such as credit, debit and ATM, that may have been compromised by the loss or theft. Get new accounts with new numbers. Ask each agency and your bank to put a fraud alert on your account.
3. Start monitoring your credit report. You can get a free credit report each year from the credit agencies, so use these. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report.
To order, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. You can print the form from www.ftc.gov/credit. Do not contact the three nationwide consumer reporting companies individually. They are providing the free annual credit reports only through annualcreditreport.com
4. Report your stolen license to your state's department of motor vehicles.
1. File a police report, then immediately contact all three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) to place a fraud alert on your account. This means that companies issuing new credit accounts in your name will have to call you to obtain permission first. The alert will last for only 90 days. If you've been a victim of identity theft and can provide a police report, you can extend the alert to seven years.
Equifax 1-800-525-6285
Experian 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion 1-800-680-7289
2. Close any accounts, such as credit, debit and ATM, that may have been compromised by the loss or theft. Get new accounts with new numbers. Ask each agency and your bank to put a fraud alert on your account.
3. Start monitoring your credit report. You can get a free credit report each year from the credit agencies, so use these. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report.
To order, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. You can print the form from www.ftc.gov/credit. Do not contact the three nationwide consumer reporting companies individually. They are providing the free annual credit reports only through annualcreditreport.com
4. Report your stolen license to your state's department of motor vehicles.
Posted by Lynn at
11:47 AM
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