| Have you ever been a victim of identity theft or know | | | | department stores, gas stations, your mortgage lender |
| someone who has? If so, you realize full well what a | | | | and your bank and let them know what happened. |
| royal pain in the backside it is, and the damage that | | | | Depending on their policies, they may require you to fill |
| was done to your reputation and your credit report will | | | | out some paperwork. |
| take years to resolve. | | | | One of the best things you can do at this time is to get |
| Now that you know what can be the result of identity | | | | a notebook and start taking very detailed notes. When |
| theft, you can look back and probably recognize | | | | you call your credit card company to report this, note |
| various things you could have done differently to | | | | the date and time of your call, and write down the |
| protect yourself more fully. Please understand that | | | | name of the person you spoke with. Do this for every |
| identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in | | | | account you contact to alert them of what has |
| our current high-tech society, and precautions you took | | | | happened. While you are talking with each one, ask |
| 5 or 10 years ago need to be modified to be effective | | | | them exactly what is covered if charges are |
| today. | | | | discovered on your account that you yourself did not |
| Usually, by the time the victim realizes that his identity | | | | do. Sometimes all or some charges are covered by |
| has been used, the identity thief has long since | | | | insurance, but other times there is no coverage. |
| disappeared from the face of the planet, leaving a | | | | Although the laws are changing, you should still contact |
| wake of damage to the victim's name and credit | | | | the police and get legal help. Frequently, as unbelievable |
| report. The laws in this country are only now starting | | | | as it sounds, the police will not even open an |
| to realize that new laws need to be enacted to | | | | investigation or become involved. The really strange |
| protect consumers from this type of theft, as well as | | | | part of this is that if they arrested someone who was |
| making additional provisions and avenues for those | | | | “you” via identity theft, they could then come |
| who are victims. In Texas, a law was passed to limit a | | | | and arrest the REAL you if you did not show up at a |
| consumer’s credit freeze privileges until they can | | | | court hearing. |
| prove that they have been a victim of identity theft or | | | | If you are a victim of identity theft, you need to take |
| credit card fraud. That is very similar to saying that you | | | | action and take it NOW. Delays only allow the thief to |
| cannot buy a lock until you can prove that your house | | | | get further away and drastically lessen the possibilities |
| has been broken into, at which point it is too late! | | | | of finding them. For more tips about what to do about |
| If you discover that you are a victim of identity theft, | | | | identity theft and measures you can take to prevent |
| the very first thing you need to do is to contact all of | | | | identity theft from happening in the first place, please |
| your lenders, including credit card companies, | | | | visit our web site. |