7 Tips for Dealing with Identity Theft

If you have ever been a victim of identity theft, or wish to protect yourself from becoming one, here are some great tips to follow:

If you are a victim of identity theft,

• Immediately notify the three national credit reporting companies – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion – and establish fraud alerts. Placing an alert means your file will be flagged and creditors are required to call you before extending credit.
• Cancel your credit cards immediately (keep account numbers and toll-free numbers of the credit card companies easily accessible).
• File a police report with the local police department and with the police department where the crime occurred. Get a copy of the report and keep the phone number of the investigator handy.

To protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft,

• Make a copy of the contents in your wallet, including the front and back of credit cards, driver’s license, insurance cards, bank cards, etc. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. If your wallet gets lost, you will know what was in the wallet, and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel.
• Don’t put your home address or phone number on checks. When paying bills for your credit card accounts, just put the last four numbers of the account. The credit card company will know the rest of the numbers.
• Use a shredder to dispose of documents containing account numbers and personal information.
• Don’t disclose your social security number unless absolutely necessary.