Who Do I Contact if I Am a Victim of Identity Theft?

Identity theft is increasingly pervasive, and it can be devastating to victims. If someone gets hold of your Social Security number and uses it to open credit accounts in your name, or otherwise compromise your financial information and security, you need to take steps quickly by contacting credit bureaus, your lenders and the police department.

Credit Bureaus

Three credit bureaus collect and hold information on your financial life, and if you have been the victim of identity theft your first step should be to contact at least one of them, either Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. Ask the credit agency to place a fraud alert on your report. The bureau that you call is then obliged to call the other two bureaus who will place a similar alert on the files they hold. You should then order a free credit report from each of the agencies and review it carefully for fraudulent activity.

Lenders

If you do find accounts in your credit reports that have either been tampered with or opened fraudulently, your next step should be to call the companies these accounts are held with. Ask for their fraud or security department and outline your situation and ask for any fraud dispute forms the company may need you to fill in. Follow that call with a letter, and include the completed fraud dispute forms and copies of documents that support your claims. You should keep your original documents and copies of all correspondence relating to your identity theft case.

The FTC

Once you have taken these initial steps, contact the Federal Trade Commission and file a complaint. You can do this through the FTC's online complaint form or by calling the commission's ID Theft Hotline 1-877-438-4338. This step allows the FTC to better track identity thieves and share information with other government agencies that may be able to help.

Police

The final step should be to contact your local police department and ask it to open a file on your case. When you attend your local department to file the complaint, take a copy of your FTC complaint form and any supporting documents you have. Ask for a copy of the police report once it's completed, as this will help you dispute any fraudulent charges that result from the ID theft. If your local police department is reluctant to allow you to file a complaint, try contacting your state Attorney General's office.