Here are the steps, as outlined to us by the Missouri Attorney General, that you should follow immediately if you have been a victim of identity theft. You can do this even if you just want to be sure that you haven’t been victimized.
1. Get a credit report – Review that credit report thoroughly. If you find anything wrong then immediately call the Attorney General (MO 800-392-8222) and report it.
You can get a FREE credit report using https://www.annualcreditreport.com. The three credit reporting agencies are Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.
It is suggested to get only one report at a time starting with one agency, e.g. Experian, then 3 or 4 months later get a credit report for one of the remaining 2 agencies, e.g. TransUnion, and 3 or 4 months later get a report from the remaining agency, e.g. Equifax. In this way you will be able to keep track of your credit all year long with a free report
2. Start by putting a fraud alert for 90 days on your credit report so that you have to be contacted before any credit cards or bank accounts are opened. It is best to do this through Experian (888-397-3742) and they will notify the other credit reporting agencies.
Note – Don’t do a Security Freeze unless it is absolutely necessary as there is significant paperwork and identification required should you need to open a bank account or are trying to get a credit card.
If worst comes to worst then a Security Freeze may be in order. By placing a security freeze on your credit report, you make your personal information useless to a thief. When a lender or creditor tries to access your credit report, they will not be able to see it. Thus, they won’t issue new credit in your name. If you freeze your credit report, you can temporarily lift it when you need to apply for credit. But there is still paperwork and identification involved.
3. Go to www.ftc.gov and Register a complaint. Fill out the form and provide as much information and documentation as you have that will be helpful.
Beware/Be Aware!