How to Deal With Credit Report Identity Theft?
Apart from the above Apart from above there are still more points that need your immediate attention in order to stop further damage to your credit report.
- Call up your bank or the credit card company immediately and explain that your credit identity has been thieved and you are informing them accordingly..
- Inform all the major credit bureaus immediately.
- Federal Trade Commission has published consumer guide as to what you should do in circumstances such as these. Studying this will certainly help you towards resolving the crisis.
- You have to execute an affidavit as prescribed and supplied by FTC and register your dispute about the new and unauthorized account.
- Close down all accounts that you are no more using. Since they no longer serve you any purpose, are invitations to thieves. Like fraud, inactive accounts show up on your cre
- You can sign up with a credit monitoring service for a fee. They keep you informed about the suspicious changes to your credit.
- Obtain a new credit identity, if possible.
Online Credit Report Identity Theft
Online credit report identity theft is a big menace these days. The proliferation of internet has opened gateways for internet payment through credit and debit cards. Unfortunately many of us don't check up the credibility of the internet company before making purchases over the net. Online subscription and membership seekers are appearing by the dozen a dime these days collecting all types of personal data.
You know, it takes only the basic information like the social security number, your address or your mother's maiden name. You must have also noticed that some credit card companies are sending out pre approved application. They don't even need your address proof and signature verified. Fraudulent web sites issue IDs like driving license on line are a reality in online credit report identity theft.
Credit Identity Theft: A Social Menace?
Credit report identity theft is increasingly getting personal now a days. An unconfirmed survey reveals 38% of all the incidences had a relative or a family member involved in the crime. And other cases include friends, colleagues etc. to make about half of this figure (18%). The statistics are mind boggling. It is reported that the credit identity theft amounted to $45 billion this year making it the biggest of the white collar crime. There have been close to 10 million cases this year alone.
