What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is a serious crime.  It can disrupt your finances, credit history, and reputation, and take time, money, and patience to resolve.  Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information and uses it without your permission.

Red Flags of Identity Theft

• Mistakes on your bank, credit card, or other accounts statements
• Mistakes on the explanation of medical benefits from your health plan
• Your regular bills and account statements don’t arrive on time
• Bills or collection notices for products or services you never received
• Calls from debt collectors about debts that don’t belong to you
• A notice from the IRS that someone used your Social Security Number
• Mail, email or calls about accounts or jobs in your minor’s name
• Unwarranted collection notices on your credit report
• Businesses turn down your check
• You are turned down unexpectedly for a loan or job

If your Identity is Stolen…

1. Flag Your Credit Report

   • Call one of the nationwide credit reporting companies, and ask for a fraud alert on your credit report. The company you call must contact the other two so they can put a fraud alerts on your files.  An initial fraud alert is good for 90 days.
     • Equifax 1-800-525-6285
     • Experian 1-888-397-3742
     • TransUnion 1-800-680-7289

2. Order Your Credit Reports

   • Each company’s credit report about you is slightly different, so order a report from each company. When you order, you must answer some questions to prove your identity.  Read your reports carefully to see if the information is correct.  If you see mistakes or signs of fraud, contact the credit reporting company.

3. Create an Identity Theft Report

   • An Identity Theft Report can help you get fraudulent information removed from your credit report, stop a company from collecting debts caused by identity theft, and get information about accounts a thief opened in your name. To create an Identity Theft Report:
     • File a complaint with the FTC at gov/complaint or 1-877-438-4338;

TTY: 1-866-653-4261.  Your completed complaint is called an FTC Affidavit.

• Take your FTC Affidavit to your local police, or to the police where the theft occurred, and file a police report. Get a copy of the police report

Information courtesy of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC.GOV/IDTHEFT)

The following links will take you to the Federal Trade Commission.  The links are pdfs of two identity theft brochures that we have in the Bank.  They detail what to do and how to handle having your identity stolen.

Identity Theft Recovery Plan

Identity Theft: What to Do and What to Know