Q: How can I tell if I have been a victim of identity theft?

A: There are several warning signs of identity theft. If you notice any of the
following you could be a victim of identity theft.

Failing to receive bills or other mail. This could mean an identity thief has submitted a change of address.

Receiving credit cards for which you did not apply.

Denial of credit for no apparent reason.

Receiving calls from debt collectors or companies about merchandise or services you didn’t buy

New accounts appear on your credit report that you did not open.

Q: What should I do if I have been a victim of identity theft?
A: First, if you suspect that your identity has been stolen you should obtain
a copy of your credit report to see if any damage has been done to your
credit. You can now get your credit report for free by going to
www.annualcreditreport.com or calling 1-877-322-8228.

If you are positive that you have been a victim of identity theft you
should take the following steps immediately:

1)Place a fraud alert on your credit reports by contacting any of the three credit bureaus which are listed below. You only need to contact one of the bureaus as the company you call is required to notify the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report, too.

Equifax 1-800-685-1111 or www.equifax.com
Experian 1-888-EXPERIAN or www.experian.com
TransUnion 1-800-916-8800 or www.transunion.com

2)Close the accounts that you know or suspect have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Call and speak to someone in the security or fraud department of each company. Follow up the phone calls with a written letter, including copies of supporting documentation that you might have. Send you letters by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can document what the company received and when they received it. Keep all of the letters of correspondence on file.

3)Dispute any charges that have been made by the thief.

4)File a report with your local police department or in the community where the identity theft took place.

5)File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. You can file online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. If you don’t have access to the internet, call the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline, toll free: 1-877-ID-THEFT.