OK, you took all the right precautions and still your identity was stolen. What do you do?
- Contact the major check verification companies if your checks were stolen or if someone has setup a bank account with you identity.
- Contact your local Office of Postal Inspection Service if you suspect that someone has submitted a change of address form.
- Contact the Social Security Administration if you suspect that your social security number is being used fraudulently.
- Contact the IRS if you suspect your information is being used for tax violations.
- Contact the major credit reporting agencies and place a fraud alert on your credit report
- File a report with the police. Ask for a copy of the police report. Some police departments don't allow this.
Contacting the FTC
You can contact the FTC by calling (877)idtheft.(877.438.4338) or go to consumer.gov/idtheft The FTC website has tons of information on identity theft. If you are still unsure as what to do, go there and read up. The Identity Theft Resource Center is another very good site.
Check Verification Companies
Use this only if you have checks stolen or someone has opened a bank account with your identity.
- midwestcheckrite.com - 800.766.2748
- equifax.com - 800.437.5120
- npc.net - 800.526.5380
- telecheck.com - 800.710.9898
There are many others out there but, these are the main ones. For more, just search "check verification companies" in your favorite search engine.