Introduction
Quick Facts
It's important to protect your personal
information, and to take certain steps
quickly to minimize the potential damage
from identity theft if your information is
accidentally disclosed or deliberately
stolen:
Close compromised credit card accounts
immediately.
If someone steals your social security number (SSN),
contact one of the three nationwide consumer
reporting agencies and place an initial fraud
alert on your credit reports.
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285;
www.equifax.com;
P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742);
www.experian.com;
P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289;
www.transunion.com;
Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790,
Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
Monitor your credit report. Keep in mind that
fraudulent activity may not show up right away.
Consult with your financial institution about
handling the effects on bank or brokerage
accounts.
Contact relevant government agencies to cancel
and replace any stolen drivers licenses or other
identification documents, and to flag your file.
Watch for signs of identity theft: late or
missing bills, receiving credit cards that you
didn't apply for, being denied credit or offered
less favorable terms for no apparent reason, or
getting contacted by debt collectors or others
about purchases you didn't make.
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