Identity theft is a serious crime that wreaks havoc on your finances and credit. You notice purchases you didn’t make on your bank statement. You are denied credit and you don’t know why. If it hasn’t happened to you (yet), you probably know someone who has been victimized by this crime. The Office of Victims of Crime has a full article explaining these steps.
- Place a fraud alert on your credit report
- Close out accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently
- Report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- File a report with local law enforcement
Because this is a crime, make sure to log all conversations and confirm these conversations in writing.