Identity Theft
Identify theft is an incredibly invasive crime that millions of people suffer from each year. It can include having credit cards opened in your name, someone hacking into your accounts or someone using your personal information for their own gain. This can cause significant problems, including immense credit card debt or bankruptcy.
Even though there are things you can do to protect yourself from identify theft, it is possible that you could still be a victim of it. Large retail stores and financial institutions have been known to be hacked and personal information has been stolen.
In order to reduce the risk of being a victim if identify theft, you should:
- Be careful of emails that look like they are from a bank asking you to update your information through an email
- Protect your social security number by not giving it out over the phone or internet to a person or business who you do not know
- Use cash for smaller purchases when possible to avoid having the numbers on your credit card scanned
If you have already been a victim of identity theft, you should:
- Contact any company that an account has been opened in your name that you did not apply for and let them know that you did not authorize the account
- Contact the three largest credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax and Trans Union and let them know that you are a victim of identity theft and you would like a fraud alert put on your file
- File a report with the police. Even though they are unlikely to apprehend the culprit, this is an important step to restoring your name
- Order a credit report. In your credit report, you should look for:
- Any account that you did not open
- Any address that has been reported as your own, but that you have never lived at
- Recent inquiries from companies that you did not contact for credit
- Order a credit report. In your credit report, you should look for:
You should mail a written dispute to the credit reporting agency informing them of any information that is incorrect and enclose a copy of the police report. If you believe that you are a victim of identity theft, contact the Consumer Advocacy Center at 312-782-5808 and find out how we can help you.