You may not know that identity theft has happened until you see your credit report, are notified when trying to apply for credit, or get called by a debt collector. For more information about identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission's website or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's website.
Review Your Credit Reports
Each report lists your open accounts, current balances and payment history. Take notice of unfamiliar accounts or debt balances that are higher than expected—those could be warning signs of identity theft.
Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission. This information can include: Names and addresses. Credit card or Social Security numbers.
Thieves could open new lines of credit or credit cards in your name -- and fail to pay the bills. As debt accumulates and payments are missed, your scores may be negatively affected, because of the payment history associated with the accounts or the increase in your credit utilization.
You should review your bank account statements regularly; if you see unknown purchases, that could be a sign that your identity has been stolen. Check credit reports. Similarly, monitor your credit reports from all three credit-reporting bureaus for any unknown accounts or inaccurate information.
Remember that a credit freeze can help protect you from identity theft. You can place both a credit freeze and any type of fraud alert. Place when you're concerned about identity theft. It makes it harder for someone to open a new credit account in your name.
Identity Theft: If you think an identity thief is using your SSN to work or to collect benefits, call the Social Security Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271. If you think someone may be using your SSN to work, check your Social Security Personal Earnings and Benefit Statement.
While a security freeze can help protect you by preventing certain access to your credit reports if someone attempts to open a new credit account in your name, it can't help protect you against other forms of fraud, such as a stolen credit card number.
Request a copy of your credit file to check for any suspicious credit applications. Report the theft of personal documents and suspicious credit applications to the police and ask for a crime reference number.
This typically only happens when debt collection issues, government agencies or court orders are involved. For example, someone can perform a hard credit inquiry on your credit report without permission if: They are a debt collector trying to verify what you owe.
As one of three credit reporting bureaus, Experian offers a suite of credit and identity theft monitoring services. With Experian's IdentityWorks Basic plan, members get Experian credit report monitoring, Experian credit reports, FICO Scores and FICO Score tracking, as well as Experian Boost — all for free.
Use the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) compliant credit bureau dispute letter. This requires the bureaus to act within 30 days of receiving it. The FTC has a template credit dispute letter you can use. You'll need your Identity Theft Affidavit from the FTC as well as proof of your identity, like a driver's license.
Between data breaches, malware and public Wi-Fi networks, hackers can use several online methods to steal your credit card and personal information. Updating your passwords on any websites you regularly visit can prevent them from gaining access to this data.
If someone has misused your SSN or other personal information to create credit or other problems for you, there are several things you can do. or call 1-800-908-4490. File an online complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
You can access free copies of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. It's important to check all three reports (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) as lenders sometimes only report to one or two of the credit reporting agencies.
The Social Security Administration does allow you to change your number, but only under limited circumstances, such as identity theft or if your safety is in danger. You will also need to supply appropriate documentation to support your application for a new number.
Receiving calls from debt collectors about unfamiliar past-due payments could indicate that someone is using your SSN. If you know you don't have any debt and you receive these types of calls, it is a serious sign that your SSN has been stolen and your identity is being used.
Contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at 1-800-908-4490 or visit them online, if you believe someone is using your SSN to work, get your tax refund, or other abuses involving taxes. Order free credit reports annually from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).
One of the best ways to check if someone has been using your identity is to look at your credit report. Because your credit report has information about your credit accounts and credit applications, you can tell immediately if someone has tried to use your identity.
A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report. If you suspect your personal information or identity was stolen, placing a credit freeze can help protect you from fraud.
If you know your Social Security information has been compromised, you can request to Block Electronic Access. This is done by calling our National 800 number (Toll Free 1-800-772-1213 or at our TTY number at 1-800-325-0778).
Can Someone Steal Your Identity with Your Credit Report? Your credit report contains a lot of personal information, so it's a goldmine for identity thieves. With a copy of your report in hand, a potential fraudster might be able to see: Full name.