Last summer someone broke into our car. Not a big deal, but we’d left a copy of our bank statement in the car (not smart!) and the bank statement was taken. Suddenly our identity was at risk.
If you’ve been a victim of identity theft here’s a few tips of what you need to do immediately to protect yourself:
1. Report it! Contact the three major credit bureaus and place a”fraud alert” on your file. Also, request no new lines of credit be established without your approval (see below for credit bureau information)
2. Close accounts: We contacted our bank and asked them to close our existing accounts. They easily mirrored each account with a new number.
3. Call the police: File a report with your local police. Keep a copy of the police report – you may need it if your credit or bank accounts are impacted.
4. Tattletale! file a complaint with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). They maintain a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations.
Equal Housing Lender.