Prevent Fraud in the New Year

Posted by: Desiree B. | Dec 31,2007

Identity-theft related crimes were at an all-time high in 2007. People reported credit card and Social Security number thefts and losses in record numbers. What you can do if you’ve had your personal and financial information stolen:

 

Contact all of your lenders and credit card companies to let them know you’ve been a victim of identity theft. If you are aware of new accounts that have been opened in your name, let your creditors know the account is a fake. Ask your creditors to put something in writing stating that the phony accounts are not your responsibility.

 

Order your credit report on a regular basis, at least every two to three months after the identity theft has been reported for up to a year. Continue to monitor for fraudulent activity and make sure that anything that you have reported as being fraudulent has been removed from your credit report. You might also consider signing up for a credit monitoring service to watchdog your credit report.

 

Hang on to all correspondence, police reports, and letters from creditors related to the identity theft. You may need them in case additional fraudulent activity occurs or if you have to go to court.

 

You can place a freeze on your credit report by contacting the credit bureaus. A credit report freeze means that no one can open a new account in your name without your permission.

 

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