In the event you are a victim of credit card fraud, the first thing you should know is that your responsibility
for the debts incurred from the fraudulent use of credit cards is fairly limited.
In the worst case senerio, you can be held liable for the first $50 of the loss for each card.
Regardless of this, you should immediately notify all of your financial institutions once you become aware
of such fraud. Quick action can result in catching the thief.
If you become the victim of identity theft, your first priority is to prevent
further use of your identity.
In either case you should:
Immediately contact your local police department. It's a good idea to go there in person.
Provide as much documented evidence as you can. Or, at least write down how you were able to determine that you have been victimized.
Ask for a copy of the police report. Some local police departments refuse to write reports on the crime of identity theft or credit fraud. Keep at them. Demand a report! Explain that your creditors may require submission of the report to confirm the crime.
Immediately notify all of your credit card issuers.
Request that they cancel your cards and close your accounts.
Ask them to send you a letter confirming that your accounts have been closed.
Request that they update your account information with all appropriate credit reporting agencies indicating:
1. the accounts have been closed; and,
2. that they were "closed at consumer's request."
Get replacement cards with new account numbers.
Notify all of your financial institutions that you are a victim of identity theft.
Cancel all of your checking and savings accounts and open new accounts. Indentity thieves will use your information to open bank accounts in your name and then "bounce checks all over town."
Request a secret password to be used in every transaction.
Submit stop payment orders on any check that doesn't seem familiar.
If you have an ATM card, immediately cancel it and designate a new password.
Do not create a password with familiar numbers like your Social Security Number or birthday. You can bet that the thief probably already has these.
If bank accounts have been fraudulently established, or checks were stolen, report this to:
Call the fraud victim assistance units of the three major credit reporting agencies.
Experian: (800) 301–7195
Trans Union: (800) 680–7289
Equifax: (800) 525–6285
Obtain your current credit report from all three of the national credit
reporting agencies and make sure that the information is accurate. For fast
service, you can order a 3 bureau credit
report and request the overnight delivery option.
Request that each agency immediately place a "fraud alert" or "consumer statement" on your credit
report:
Example: "I have been the victim of credit fraud. Before issuing any credit in my name, please verify my spouse's and my son's middle names. They are: Betty and Adam."
Ask how long they will permit the "fraud alert" or "consumer statement" to remain on your report.
Request that they maintain it for the maximum time permitted.
Notify your telephone, electric, gas, and water utility companies that you have been a victim of identity theft.
Inform them that someone may attempt to establish new service, at a new address, using your identificaton.
Contact the security department of your long distance carrier. Request that they issue a new telephone credit card and immediately review current account activity.
If you believe that your mail was stolen for the purpose of obtaining your identifying information:
Notify your local Postal Inspector. Mail theft is a felony.
If your Social Security Number has been compromised resulting in credit fraud and bad checks:
Contact the Office of the Inspector General:
via voice (800) 772–0271
via email oig.hotline@ssa.gov
In certain cases where extreme hardship occurs due to identity theft, it might be appropriate to request a new Social Security Number. This action should be taken only as a last resort. If the Social Security Administration agrees to assign you a new Social Security Number, it is imperative that you immediately notify all appropriate governmental authorities, banks, credit card issuers, utility companies, etc. and all three major credit reporting agencies of this change.
In credit card fraud cases, the Secret Service has jurisdiction. Unless the dollar amount is high enough, they generally do not get involved. To get their attention, request that the fraud department of your credit card issuers, or bank, contact a Secret Service Agent with whom they have a working relationship to review the case.
Contact your State Department of Motor Vehicles to get a new driver's license number, if someone has been using yours as identification.
If you have been the victim of identity fraud, you may want to notify your local passport office to be on the lookout for anyone attempting to apply for a new passport using your personal information.
