Identity theft is one of those crimes that can devastate your finances – but it doesn’t have to. Whether you’ve personally experienced identity theft or you just want to know how to prevent it from happening to you, this guide has the steps you need to know.

Table of Contents:

• What Is Identity Theft?
• 耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:How To Prevent Identity Theft
• How To Report Identity Theft
• How To Repair Your Finances After Identity Theft

What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information, without your permission, to commit a crime — usually fraud. It is a serious crime that could ruin your financial life. Here’s the kind of information ID thieves look for to steal your identity:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Address
• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number
• Credit card and/or bank account numbers
• Medical insurance account numbers
• Credit reports

So how do they get hold of this information? There are several ways. Some of them are high-tech. And some are extremely low-tech, such as going through your garbage or your mailbox. Crooks can also swipe your information from a job application, your email or even from what you post on social media. There’s also a technique called “shoulder surfing”: A potential thief watches you enter your credit card number or other personal information into a keypad or hears you giving the number to someone over the phone. “Skimming” is another ID theft technique related to your use of keypads (usually at ATMs). Crooks attach their own card readers over the real card reader and then take the information off every card that gets swiped. And, of course, your computer or phone can get hacked — especially if you don’t have any security software installed.

How To Prevent Identity Theft

There are many things you can do to help protect yourself from identity theft.

耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Money expert Clark Howard says there’s one thing you should do first:

“A credit freeze is the best way to protect yourself from identity thieves,” Clark says.

He says it’s crucial to freeze your credit with the three major credit bureaus: , and . And it doesn’t cost anything to get your credit frozen.

Once your credit is frozen, no one can open a new financial account in your name. You have to contact each credit bureau and confirm your identity to “thaw” or unfreeze your credit before you open any new accounts. Here are a few more ways to prevent identity theft:

• Don’t carry a checkbook. Pay by cash or credit card. Never use a debit card.
• Check your bank and credit card statements regularly to make sure there are no suspicious charges on them.
• Also check your credit reports periodically.
• Don’t carry your Social Security card with you, and be careful about giving out the number.
• Buy a paper shredder. Shred any documents that list personal financial information such as your bank and credit card account numbers.
• Never click on 耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:suspicious links in your email and text messages.
• Never give personal information over the phone to someone you don’t know.

How To Report Identity Theft

If your ID does get stolen, you can report it to several different entities. You’ll typically need to inform the Social Security Administration, the credit bureaus, your local police department, your bank and all your creditors. Some companies and agencies have pages on their websites where you can make a report. Other times, you’ll need to call.

In each case, you may be asked to describe the incident to the best of your knowledge. Remember to stay calm and try to give full descriptions of erroneous charges to your account(s).

Here are details on how to make some of those contacts.

Contact the Social Security Administration

If your Social Security number has been stolen, contact the at 800-269-0271.

Contact the Credit Bureaus

You can ask the three major U.S. credit bureaus to put a fraud alert on your account. Here are links and phone numbers to contact them:

• : 800-525-6285
• : 888-397-3742
• : 800-680-7289

Clark says you should also ask to add what’s called a “victim’s statement” to your account, which should say the following:

”My identification has been used to fraudulently apply for credit. Call me at this number to verify all applications.”

Find out from the credit bureaus how long they will keep the fraud alerts active and how to extend them if you need to.

Resource: How to Reach a Real Person at Experian, Equifax and TransUnion

File a Police Report

You may also choose to contact your local police department. If you do so in writing, make sure to mail it via . If you choose to file a report in person, you should take the following items with you:

• A photo ID
• Proof of address
• Evidence of ID theft (bills, account balances, marks on your credit report, etc.)

A police report that has details about the case can serve as an official “,” according to the Federal Trade Commission, and that’s a document that will help you when you start to try to repair the damage the ID thieves have done.

Contact Your Creditors

You need to reach out to all the affected creditors so that they can close your account(s) and other creditors to let them know your account might be vulnerable. Once you explain the situation and provide them with a copy of the Identity Theft Report, here’s where you can begin the process of contesting any charges. 

“Don’t pay any bill or part of a bill resulting from identity theft,” Clark says.

How To Repair Your Finances After Identity Theft

Clark does not advocate hiring a credit repair service. These companies usually promise astronomical surges in your credit score, but some of their techniques may not be ethical.

Instead, he suggests you contact the  for targeted advice based on your situation. Also, make sure you follow up with these parties:

Credit bureaus: Ask for written confirmation from the credit bureaus that the fraudulent charges have been removed. This may take a while. To track their progress, you can check your credit report for free every week.

Creditors: Change your passwords, PINs and other security information associated with your accounts.

Clark also says to make sure that, as you get new cards and deactivate old accounts, you get written confirmation from each company that the account was closed at your request.

Authorities: If the case is big enough, and if the authorities find the crook, you may be asked if you want to press charges. While that is a personal decision, restitution from the offender is one potential way to get compensation for your losses.

Final Thoughts

Rectifying identity theft is not a quick process, so it pays to a) be patient and b) keep comprehensive notes on everything. One Team Clark member who had her identity stolen says this: “Hopefully, you will never experience the feelings of violation and vulnerability that go hand-in-hand with identity theft. But if you do, know that it is going to be a very time-consuming, frustrating and emotional journey. However, the sooner you act, the less complicated it’s going to be.” Once you’ve made the necessary reports and provided any requested documentation, remember to:

• Review your bank account(s) often
• Check your credit reports weekly
• Freeze your credit

Before you freeze your credit, Clark recommends that you set up an account with 耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Credit Karma or 耀竣金融配资_在线配资炒股:Credit Sesame to get free credit monitoring and notifications of suspicious activity.