The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has in its latest report given some mind-boggling statistics. According to these statistics, the Commission has received more than 255,000 complaints about identity theft, which is an increase from 2004. In 2004 they had received 247,000 complaints.
Essentially identity theft is when a person steals the credit / debit card numbers or the passwords to your financial accounts in order to steal money from you. In some cases a person might not even be aware of the identity theft. Its important to note that even email scams are increasing as are Internet scams especially those regarding wire transfers. According to statistic emails are responsible for 35% of all identity theft cases.
If you think, that you have been a victim to an identity theft, you should follow certain steps to keep your losses to the minimum.
File a report about your identity theft with your local police station. Get a copy of this report and send it to credit card companies, banks or institutions, where you suspect that your identity was stolen. This report is essential, as you would have a proof of a crime been committed against you.
You should also contact the credit bureaus and get copies of the credit reports. These are easily available. If you see any new accounts which have been opened or credit been taken against your name, without your approval or knowledge, then you can be sure that you are a victim of identity theft.
Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus in the US. In this way the credit reports maintained by them will have a ‘fraud alert’. Therefore a person will not be able to take credit by using your name.
Maintain documentation of all letters, reports, enquiries that you have made regarding the identity theft. This will help you to get justice faster. In fact one can easily get reimbursed for all the effort and time spent on the case. It’s also important to contact and write letters to companies where you think the identity theft would have taken place against you. See f your accounts have been changed in an un-authorized way. Changes can include change of name, address, passwords, specific standing instructions etc.
You can also contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by phone at their Toll free no
1-877-ID-THEFT
Or by mail at
Identity Theft Clearinghouse
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington DC 20580
Or contact them online at Online ID Theft Compliant Form or can go to the FTC website
Thus by following these steps, the victims can bring the perpetrator to book. Especially with the help of FTC, issues regarding financial matters and other problems from identity theft can be resolved.
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