Tips regarding identity theft by zip code
Does any of the following sound familiar?
- You get to hear through a collection agency that you owe a debt that they must collect for an account you know nothing about.
- Some of your expected mail, including statements of credit cards, ceases to arrive with you.
- You observe a few bits of your credit card statement that you did not buy.
- You receive a message, letting you know that either yes or no, you have a credit rating, about an account that is news to you.
If you're thinking you've heard this before, you could be in the middle of an identity theft situation!
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The action you should take if your suspicions fall on identity theft is to have your credit report checked. You are able to pick up a thirty day trial completely free whose web address is www.freecreditprofile.com involving the company TrueCredit. Anything done by you in the past that had a need for a credit check are bound to appear withing a credit check report. And anything that involves identity theft and your name tied to a credit check will be found here.
If you suspect ID theft, report it to the fraud departments at the major credit bureaus, there are three of them: TransUnion - 800-680-7289; Equifax - 800-525-6285; Experian - 888-397-3742. Ask each department to put a fraud alert on your credit file. This action will not immediately make the identity theft go away, but further illegal actions by the crooks ought to be slowed.
You may wish to do likewise at the Federal Trade Commission at 877-438-4338, and the US Postal Inspection Service on 800-772-1213. And if your checks are being used in a manner that is fraudulent, report it to these companies: Check Rite - 800-766-2748; Chex System - 800-328-5121; CrossCheck - 800-522-1900; Equifax Telecredit - 800-437-5120; NPC - 800-526-5380; SCAN - 800-262-7771; and Tele-Check - 800-366-2425.
In addition to all that, the police should be given a report to hold on file, reporting the crime as identity theft, where the ID theft crime took place is the area where the report should be made. Get a copy of the report for yourself in case anyone needs it as proof later on.
Identity theft will cost you both time and money. But you can severely limit your liability if you act quickly. Take this example, should the theft of your card be reported prior to the criminal making use of it, you won't have to answer for charges not authorized by you. If you report the identity theft after the card is used, the limit on what you will be liable for is capped at the $50 mark - even if the card is used to withdraw all your money from an ATM machine. All identity theft should therefore be subject to a report as soon as possible and remove the control of your life from the theif.
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