| If you have been the victim of credit card identity theft | | | | victim of credit card theft and need to restore your |
| and you need to restore your credit rating because | | | | credit rating. But you won't know that you have been |
| you have had your credit card or credit card details | | | | victimized until the credit card company which issued |
| actually stolen, or because someone has applied for | | | | the fraudulent card actually starts contacting you about |
| and received a credit card using your name and social | | | | the payments which the thief has undoubtedly failed to |
| security number, you may be at a loss as to where to | | | | make. |
| begin. | | | | You'll need to prove that you have never lived at the |
| If you have been the victim of credit card identity theft | | | | address which the scammer provided, and that all of |
| and you need to restore your credit rating because | | | | the other personal details that person provided are not |
| you have had your credit card or credit card details | | | | yours. Experiencing this sort of credit card identity theft |
| actually stolen, or because someone has applied for | | | | and having to restore your credit rating can be a very |
| and received a credit card using your name and social | | | | time-consuming, frustrating experience, but it's |
| security number, you may be at a loss as to where to | | | | important that throughout the process you continue to |
| begin. | | | | maintain the payments on your legitimate obligations. |
| First, you can take pre-emptive measures against | | | | Contact The Credit Reporting Agencies |
| identity theft as soon as you receive a new credit | | | | As soon as you think you have fallen prey to credit |
| card. You should photocopy both sides of all your | | | | card identity theft [ you can start to restore your credit |
| credit cards so that as soon as one of them is lost or | | | | rating by contacting the three credit reporting agencies, |
| stolen you will be able to report that it is missing and | | | | Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, and asking them to |
| have that card account closed. | | | | place fraud alerts on all your credit reports. A fraud |
| Second, you should never carry any credit cards | | | | alert will be an obstacle to anyone who attempts to |
| which you do not intend to use, and you should have | | | | use your information to establish a new line of credit. |
| only the number of credit cards that you absolutely | | | | Contact the FTC And Police |
| need. | | | | You should notify and file a formal complaint with both |
| As soon as you realize that your credit card is missing, | | | | the Federal Trade Commission, and the police in the |
| or that there are unexplained charges on your monthly | | | | jurisdiction where the credit card identity theft |
| statement, you will have to assume that you are a | | | | occurred, providing the police with a copy of your FTC |
| target of credit card identity theft, and to restore your | | | | complaint. |
| credit rating you need to stop the missing or | | | | Taking these steps when you have been a victim of |
| compromised cards. | | | | credit card identity theft and are trying to restore your |
| If someone has obtained your name and social | | | | credit rating will put you in a much stronger position to |
| security number, perhaps through mail theft, and used | | | | prevent whoever has victimized you from doing too |
| them to open a credit card account, you will also be a | | | | much damage. |