Truth 42 Getting your life back in order
Getting your life back in order after an identity theft is far easier said than done. One of the main reasons these thieves are so successful is because people often don’t know what to do after the attack or how to ward off the thief who has compromised their identity. Following is a list of things you should do if your identity has been stolen.
Getting upset, arguing with the collection agency, or freaking out will not solve anything.
Don’t panic. Finding out that a thief has charged purchases in your name is alarming. However, getting upset, arguing with the collection agency, or freaking out will not solve anything. Instead, document everything you do, everyone you talk to, and anything you are asked to do.
Contact the company that sent you the bill. Make it clear that you did not incur these charges and that you want to speak with someone who deals with fraudulent accounts. Note the names of anyone you speak to, and write down everything that is discussed. Most likely, the company will ask for a copy of an identity theft police report. (See Truth 39, “Stopping thieves in their tracks.”)
If you have found that there are fraudulent checks being written against your checking account, contact your bank and put a stop payment on all outstanding checks. Don’t attempt to selectively stop some checks while letting others go through. You can’t be sure how the thief is drafting checks from your account, and it’s possible that the thief has printed his own checks. It’s better to stop all checks, change your account number, and get new checks.
Also, ask your bank to write a letter that you can supply to anyone who received one of your canceled checks. Generally, most creditors will waive fees for canceled checks if you are the victim of identity theft. Your bank might ask you to file a claim with its fraud department, and eventually you should be able to recover money stolen from your account.
If a debt collector calls you regarding a bill that is fraudulent, make it clear that you did not incur this bill. Ask for complete contact information for the collection agency. Also, ask for whom they are collecting the debt, including company name, phone number, address, and total amount due. Ask what they need from you to clear this up. Lastly, make it clear that you do not intend to pay the bill.
Some collectors are aggressive. Don’t get abusive. Make it clear that the charges aren’t yours and that you want to file a fraud claim. Note that some scam artists will actually pose as an agent from a collection agency in an attempt to collect money from you. Often, they will start with a higher number and then offer to take a lower number if you pay over the phone. Don’t fall for this ruse.
Request a free credit report from one of the three reporting agencies. (See Truth 41, “When a free credit report isn’t free.”) It can take a few months before items make it to your credit history. If you do see suspicious activity, contact each of the companies listed on your report. Getting a credit report right away will be useful since you will need it when you make your police report.
Go to the local police and file an identity theft report. Some departments might allow you to file via the phone or online, but I suggest that you file the report in person. It is important that you file an identity theft report, not just a standard police report. This report will contain the names of any organizations that you are aware of where there was fraudulent activity.
File a credit freeze with each of the three reporting agencies. (See Truth 39, “Stopping thieves in their tracks.”) A credit freeze should stop any business from being able to pull your credit report or open new credit with your social security number without your approval.
Request an extended fraud alert from one of the three reporting agencies. (See Truth 39.) If you have an identity theft report from the police, you can file an extended alert, which lasts seven years. Without the report, you can file only an initial alert, which lasts 90 days.
Contact every organization at which you believe there has been fraudulent activity using your personal information. Be sure to document who you spoke with and what damage has been done, and try to discover if the organization has already reported issues to the credit reporting agencies. By law, once an organization has been notified that you are dealing with identity theft, it is not allowed to make claims to reporting agencies. So the sooner you can let an organization know what’s going on, the easier it will be to clean up your credit.
Expect each creditor to require information from you. Generally, the affidavit that the FTC makes available is accepted by creditors. You can download it from www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf. You should also ask creditors to send you something in writing acknowledging that they are aware you are dealing with identity theft so that you have something for your records. You must also ask them to send you and your local law enforcement a copy of any documents that relate to this issue, which may include transaction records. This is something that creditors must supply you by federal law.
Follow up with any correspondence that you had with these organizations in written form. The letter should include a summary of the conversation between you and that organization. Be sure to document what each company asked you to do and your understanding of how the issue will be resolved. Send the letter via certified mail.
Contact every organization where you have a credit card or banking account. Request to add a unique password to these accounts, which most creditor and banks will allow you to do. Make sure that you remember the password since you will need it when you call in to get any information on the accounts. If it turns out there are issues, be sure to speak to someone in the fraud department, and then follow up with a written letter explaining the issue.
In this country, your credit is your life and it’s up to you to fight for your name.
As organizations begin to cancel the fraudulent charges, be sure to have them send you a written statement showing that you do not owe the debt and that the account was closed. In addition, ask if they will be notifying the reporting agencies or if they had placed a claim on your record. While I have found they will say “yes,” often they never actually do it. Once organizations agree that the amounts are not due, you can also contact the reporting agencies and file a dispute to have the claims removed.
Cleaning up your name and credit history takes time. You have to go in circles with some agencies, while others handle things quickly and professionally. The good news is that you are not the first one who has notified the credit company or collection agency that you are a victim of identity theft. By now, every organization is not only aware of it but generally has specific policies and guidelines already in place for what you need to do. While some of them do not make it easy, it is important that you do not give up. In this country, your credit is your life, and it’s up to you to fight for your name.