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What If Identity
Theft And Fraud Prevention Doesn't Work?
So your wallet was stolen or you gave out
information that was intercepted online and now
you've found yourself the victim of identity theft.
Or maybe you were diligent in your safeguards and
someone still managed to get your personal
information. What do you do? Well, don't
panic--you're not alone. More than nine million
people just like you were in the same boat in 2004
alone.
Start the repair process by calling vital agencies
first. This list should start with one of the major
three credit reporting bureaus: Experian, Equifax,
or TransUnion. Don't worry about calling them all--a
call to one is a call to all, as they share
information uniformly now. Write a letter requesting
a free copy of your credit report and cc a copy to
all three agencies to help you monitor any activity.
Then, contact your credit card companies and alert
them that your information has been compromised,
even if your cards weren't stolen. If the imposter
got a hold of your SSN along with your birth date
and address, he can also access other accounts if
he's savvy enough. From there, you will want to file
a police report in your town and keep a copy of it
for your records.
All of this should be done the day you notice a
problem. Don't delay, as every minute lost can mean
thousands of dollars stolen. There are agencies that
can help you restore your credit, so don't be afraid
to look into these to help you get back to your life
quickly and without too much loss. |
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