What should I do if my identity has been stolen?

Identity theft is fast becoming one of the most prevalent crimes of the 21st Century, and has been reported as costing victims, businesses, financial organisation and governments billions of dollars worldwide every year. If you do suspect your identity has been stolen it is important that you take immediate action to report and resolve this crime, before too much damage can be done to your good name and credit rating.

Cancel Credit/Debits Cards
If you have had your plastic cards stolen it is very important you cancel them immediately by phoning your provider, as this will prevent thieves from running up any fraudulent charges on them.

Police Report
The police report number will be a vital part of proving that you have been a victim of identity theft so as soon as you can file a report with your local police service and get several copies for your records. This will also help police with any ongoing investigations they may have concerning identity fraud.

Identity Theft Affidavit
The FTC has an official identity theft affidavit which allows you to quickly and easily alert all the necessary businesses and financial providers you need to that you have become a victim of identity theft. You simply fill in the affidavit and then send as many copies as you need to out to your credit providers (banks, credit cards, store cards etc) and also the main credit agencies Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

Freeze Your Credit Report
If your identity has been compromised it can be a good idea to freeze your consumer credit report when you contact the main credit agencies, as this can prevent any thieves from using your personal information to apply for credit fraudulently in your name. You can always unfreeze the file again in the future when your case has been resolved so that you can apply for new credit yourself.

Related Topics: Identity Theft Resource