Identity Theft

Table of Contents

• Advice Sites
• Contacts
• Requests to Credit Bureaus
• Advice on Prevention (of ID theft after document theft)
  • WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOSE YOUR PURSE OR WALLET

• Identity Theft from the Consumer Information site of the US federal government
• Credit Freeze on : Block access to your credit card info until you explicitly authorize it. Requires fees.

• Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hotline: 877-ID-THEFT
• Credit Bureaus:
  • OptOutPrescreen.com
  • Joint: 1-888-567-8688
    Requests made via this number are distributed to all three credit bureaus.
    Can be used to stop credit card solicitations (for 5 years).
    Note: This is a automated system with a lousy interface (as of 5/2000): if you make an error in entry, it tells you but does not provide a way for you to reenter the value.
  • Equifax: 800-525-6285
    To purchase your credit report 800-685-1111
  • Experian (formerly TRW): 800-301-7195
    To purchase your credit report 866-200-6020
    Other/older? numbers: 888-397-3742, 888-690-8086
  • TransUnion: 800-680-7289
    To purchase your credit report 800-888-4213
• Purchasing your credit report (free if you have been turn down for ...).
  • Contact individual agencies
  • Credit reports from all three of the above bureaus can be obtained from Myvesta: 800-698-3782
• Social Security Administration also has a fraud line at 1-800-269-0271
• Identity Theft Resource Center | A Nonprofit Organization
• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse--privacyrights.org

• Annual Credit Report
• You can request of the credit bureaus (phone numbers above) to:
  • call you if anyone is trying to get credit on your name, and
  • put a promo block on your record so they don't sell your name to all those people anxious to send you a credit card.

Mailing lists

• DMA Preference Service: for mail, e-mail, and telephone.
  Can register online ($5 fee) or via mail (free) (Aside: this seems backwards, but it is what their web site says).
  These lists are not given out explicitly: marketers submit their lists and get back one "cleaned" of all the registered addresses.
  Registration good for 5 years.

  US Mail address:
  Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Assn.
  Mail Preference Service
  P.O. Box 643
  Carmel, NY 10512

• Opt-Out Prescreen Website - for prescreen offers for credit cards, insurance, ...
• A critique of their system, approach ... on e-mail

WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOSE YOUR PURSE OR WALLET

We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed using your name,address, SS#, credit, etc. Unfortunately I have firsthand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month and within a week the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.

But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises, cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know who to call. Keep those where you can find them easily (having to hunt for them is additional stress you WON'T need at that point!).

File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one). Here's what is perhaps most important: I never ever thought to do this. Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and SS#. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

By the time I was advised to do this - almost 2 weeks after the theft all the damage had been done (there are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert). Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in their tracks.