account takeover A form of credit-card or bank fraud in which the criminal charges purchases to someone else’s financial accounts or takes over financial accounts to extract or transfer funds.

accounting of disclosures A list of persons or institutions that received a consumer’s consumer report or healthcare information from the healthcare provider, the dates on which disclosures happened, details of the information shared, and reason for sharing the information.

application fraud A form of credit-card or bank fraud in which the criminal uses a consumer’s identity without permission to establish new accounts, unbeknownst to the consumer.

certificate of innocence A document issued from a court in certain states that declares you “factually innocent” and cleared of charges.

certificate of release Documentation from law enforcement that you have been released from custody and are clear of any charges.

Check 21 A federal program that allows banks to transmit electronic images of a deposited check for payment rather than shipping the original paper version.

check verification company A business, considered a consumer reporting agency under FCRA, that collects information about returned checks and reports that data to its merchant customers.

child identity theft The unauthorized use of a child’s personal identifiers for an illegal purpose.

clearance letter A formal statement by law enforcement that you have been cleared of any charges of wrongdoing.

collection agency A company that buys unpaid credit accounts from the original creditor and then attempts to collect payment from the consumer.

contingency fee When a lawyer’s fee is a percentage of what the client obtains from either a suit or settlement, usually with out-of-pocket expenses (like depositions and court costs) paid by the client upfront or off the top of the money recovered.

credit history Part of the credit report showing creditors’ reports about the payment history of the consumer’s accounts with them.

credit-reporting agency (CRA) A consumer reporting company that collects credit information on consumers and sells that information, in the form of credit reports, to other companies, landlords, lenders, potential employers, and others. The three main CRAs are TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. There are also many resellers of credit data.

credit reports Compilation documents kept by credit reporting agencies that show current and former accounts, who inquires about your credit record, and data about which entities have granted credit in your name.

creditor A company that extends credit to a consumer or business.

criminal background check A document that shows the arrests, warrants, convictions, jail time served, and probation that a person has undergone.

criminal identity theft When a thief uses someone else’s identity when arrested for a crime other than identity theft.

cyber identity theft When someone impersonates another online.

Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) A U.S. law focused on electronic and online use of copyrighted materials.

dispute A notification to a creditor by a consumer that specific information in a credit report or on an account is fraudulent and alleged to be incorrect.

district attorney The main prosecutor for the state in a given geographic region.

Dunn & Bradstreet A company that tracks credit and payments of businesses.

Electronic Fund Transfer Act A law that was established in 1978 that provides a number of rights to consumers regarding electronic funds transfers.

electronic funds transfer (EFT) The computer-based banking system for electronic billing and payments

extended fraud alert A fraud alert requested in writing that can stay on credit files for up to seven years.

Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) Amendments to the Fair Credit Reporting Act that address duties of credit reporting agencies, creditors, and others to consumers regarding identity theft and other issues.

Fair Credit Billing Act The Fair Credit Billing Act is a law, passed in 1986, that changed the Truth in Lending Act to “protect the consumer against inaccurate and unfair credit billing and credit card practices.”

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) A U.S. law intended to govern the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of information in the files of credit reporting agencies.

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act A U.S. law that governs how debt collectors can attempt to collect payment from consumers.

federal prosecutor The equivalent of a district attorney for federally prosecuted crimes.

Federal Trade Commission A federal agency that enforces consumer-protection laws regarding lending, credit, debt collection, and identity theft. Its mission is to prevent unfair competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices affecting commerce.

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) An independent regulator for securities firms doing business in the United States.

financial statements Periodic summaries of an account, including credit cards, bank accounts, and insurance policies.

fraud alert A notation that tells anyone receiving your credit report that you’re the victim of identity theft and not to issue credit without calling you first at a specific number.

FTC identity-theft affidavit A form to be completed by victims that alerts companies to your identity-theft scenario and is required to be submitted to clear your name.

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) A federal law requiring, among other things, limited privacy protections against the sale of consumer financial information.

hard-pull inquiry A company’s request for a credit report initiated by a consumer or the consumer’s impostor seeking to open an account or get a loan or a job.

header In credit reports, the part with the consumer’s name, address, and other personally identifying information. In an unrelated meaning, in e-mail, the header is the part that carries the origin and intended destination as well as various other types of control and status information.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) A federal law that governs how healthcare entities deal with patient information and operate with regard to paper and electronic records.

health savings accounts (HSAS) Savings accounts with special tax benefits that are available to people who enroll in high-deductible health insurance plans.

ID theft complaint Notification to an entity by a consumer who has obtained a law-enforcement identity-theft report that specific information in a consumer report or on an account is fraudulent and alleged to be incorrect.

identity theft The unauthorized use of your personal identifiers for an illegal purpose, usually for profit, a benefit, or revenge.

Identity Theft Resource Center A non-profit organization devoted to the prevention and recovery of identity theft.

identity-theft report A document, created by a local, state, or federal law-enforcement agency, providing official notice that you are the victim of identity theft.

initial fraud alert A fraud alert that stays on your credit file for up to 90 days and can be placed by phone.

inquiry sections Parts of the credit report showing requests for profile information that is part of a regular review of an account and requests from potential new creditors to see the credit file.

IP address The identifying number of your connection to the Internet.

IP spoofing A technique by which people hide their real connection locations on the Internet and make their transmissions look as if they came from elsewhere.

judgment The decision or an opinion of a court that determines a disputed matter.

lien A court order giving a person or company a legal interest in your property as security for a debt owed.

listing of benefits A document that shows what services, treatments, medicines, and devices the healthcare insurance carrier paid for on behalf of the patient.

marital settlement agreement A contract that divides property between two former spouses in a divorce case.

master log book A file that tracks every step of your identity-recovery process.

mediation A facilitated negotiation in which a neutral third party, usually a lawyer or retired judge, facilitates the process of settlement so that the parties come to an agreement.

medical identity theft The act of someone using another’s identity to get healthcare in that person’s name.

Medical Information Bureau (MIB) A medical insurance databank that compiles consumer reports used by nearly 500 insurance companies in the United States and Canada.

National Crime Information Center (NCIC) An FBI-operated computer-based compendium of criminal justice information.

notice of privacy practices Written explanation of what information an entity collects, how it uses the information, with whom the information may be shared, how consumers may obtain their information, and how much it may cost.

personal earnings and benefit estimate statement (pebes) A form that the Social Security Administration sends you to show the history of earnings it has on record for you by year and an estimate of the resulting future Social Security benefits.

plea bargain In a criminal case, a negotiated reduced charge or sentence recommendation in exchange for a guilty plea.

postal inspector A law enforcement agent working for the U.S. Postal Service.

power of attorney The legal delegation of authority to another to act on the grantor’s behalf

prior payment history Part of the credit report that shows if the consumer was late in paying accounts as well as the amount and dates of the consumer’s payments.

return receipt requested A U.S. Postal Service letter option that requires the delivery person to obtain on a card a signature acknowledging delivery of the letter. The card is returned to the sender as proof of receipt and must be sent for all correspondence dealing with identity theft.

security freeze A written request to a CRA that locks your credit file so potential creditors cannot obtain your credit profile in order to issue you credit without you providing a password to the credit bureaus to release the report.

Social Security Death Index An easily obtained, regularly updated list of people that the Social Security Administration lists as having died. It includes the person’s Social Security number.

Social Security inspector A law-enforcement official with the independent auditing and investigative branch of the Social Security Administration.

soft pull Either an account review of credit profile by a company with whom the consumer already has a relationship, or a review by a company to offer the consumer a pre-screened credit offer.

spousal identity theft Identity theft perpetrated by a spouse.

substitute copy A copy of the front and back of a paper check that can act as a legal replacement for the original.

synthetic identity theft A fake identity created from personal information from multiple people or a combination of real and fabricated information. The ultimate victim is the one whose Social Security number is used.

Truth in Lending Act A law requiring disclosure of credit terms and governing credit cards.

U.S. Trustee Program A part of the Department of Justice that monitors the conduct of bankruptcy proceedings and the parties involved in them.

victim chronology A running chronological history of your identity-theft experience, necessary for legal purposes if a lawsuit is to be filed later.

victim-impact statement A communication, usually written although sometimes also oral, from the identity-theft victim to the court, detailing the emotional, physical, financial, and other impacts, stresses, and problems resulting from the actions of the identity thief.