How to Improve Credit Score Due to Identity Theft

Identity theft can drastically harm your credit score. A near-perfect 800 score can fall into the 500s very easily thanks to identity theft. You can take action if your identity has been stolen. While the best solution is to guard your identity so that you will not have to resort to these methods, you can improve your credit after identity theft.

Instructions

1

Notify Equifax, Experian andTransUnion (the three major credit bureaus) of the identity theft in writing.

Equifax
P.O. Box 740250
Atlanta, GA 30374
888-766-0008

Experian
PO Box 9532
Allen TX, 75013
888-EXPERIAN

TransUnion
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834
800-680-7289

Make sure you send a notification of the identity theft to each major bureau. While each bureau will inform the others, it a good idea to proactively contact all three, given the sensitivity and time-critical nature of identity theft.

2

Place a security freeze on your accounts. After you have notified the credit bureaus of the identity theft, you can freeze your credit report so that you will be notified before any significant changes to your credit report occur.

3

Notify the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the identity theft. This will allow you to defend your credit score by forcing new accounts opened by the criminal to be shut down.

4

If the criminal has used your credit card, thus harming your credit score, you can improve your credit score by notifying the card's issuing bank of the identity theft. After you issue a fraud report, it will remove the fraudulent activity.

5

Tell collection agencies of the pending identity theft issue if they attempt to collect bills related to the fraudulent activity. This will prevent your credit score from dropping further as a result of the identity theft.