subject: Stopping Identity Theft In Its Own Tracks [print this page] Identity theft is a rapidly growing crime that is affecting a lot of people in the United States and around the globe. It is a serious crime with grave effects that are hard to recover from. Anyone can be a victim-old people or young people, anyone is at risk. Worse, understanding the crime fully is not easy.
Criminals who engage in identity theft are not easily apprehended. The processes of the crime do not usually involve any physical contact with the victim so that a person may only realize that he is a victim when the effects of the crime finally arise, therefore, it is important to stop the crime at its onset or even before it starts!
Here are some ways to stop identity theft when you recognize it:
- Always review your credit report. A good way to find out if someone is messing with your finances is by reviewing your credit report. A credit report is issued by a credit bureau once a year, and since there are three national credit bureaus in the United States, you can be able to view your credit report thrice a year so review it and review it well.
- When there are erroneous entries in your report, call your credit report provider immediately. Erroneous entries could mean that the credit bureau committed a mistake or it could mean that an identity thief has gained access to your account.
- When you suspect identity theft, apply for a fraud alert by calling a credit bureau. The bureau will be the one to inform the other reporting agencies of your problem. If you feel a need for a credit freeze, then avail of it instead of a fraud alert. Make sure though to read on the advantages and disadvantages of those credit security measures since they also pose inconveniences to the credit owner.
- Call the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to file a report. The FTC is the governing body that is involved in fighting identity theft. Call their hotlines or fill up an online complaint form to register your complaint.
- Call the police. Ask them how you will be able to file a report regarding your claim. It may be good to ask if you could file the report online, through the phone or in person.
- Close all accounts that you feel, have been tampered with. This is a safe way to go. Call your bank or creditor to know the processes of closing and opening accounts. Start with new accounts with different PINs and passwords that are hard to track.
