文档介绍：Consumer Alert
Federal mission ■ Bureau of Consumer Protection ■ Office of Consumer and Business Education
Identity Crisis...
What to Do If Your Identity is Stolen
I dont remember charging those items. Ive never even been in that store.
aybe you never charged those items, but someone else did...someone who used your name and
Mpersonal information mit fraud. When an imposter co-opts your name, your Social
Security number, your credit card number, or some other piece of your personal information for their
use in short, when someone appropriates your personal information without your knowledge its
a crime, pure and simple.
The biggest problem? You may not know your identitys been stolen until you notice that somethings
amiss: you may get bills for a credit card account you never opened, your credit report may include
debts you never knew you had, a billing cycle may pass without your receiving a statement, or you
may see charges on your bills that you didnt sign for, didnt authorize, and dont know anything
about.
First Things First
If someone has stolen your identity, the Federal mission mends that you take three
actions immediately.
First, contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus. Tell them to flag
your file with a fraud alert including a statement that creditors should call you for permission befo