What if I suspect Identity Theft?
If you suspect you may be the victim of Identity Theft, you should consider placing a fraud alert on your file with the three major credit bureaus. A fraud alert is a free service provided by the credit bureaus that requests that any creditor contact you by phone at a designated number before opening a new account. The length of the fraud alert varies with each credit bureau, but you may ask the fraud alert to be extended after the initial request has expired. You should also obtain a copy of your credit report to review it for any inconsistencies with your credit history. In most cases the credit bureau will provide a free credit report when you request a fraud alert. In the future you may request additional copies of your credit report for a small fee.
A free credit report is also available from www.annualcreditreport.com.
| Credit Reporting Agencies | |||
| Place a Fraud Alert | Order a Credit Report | Address | |
Equifax | 1-800-525-6285 | 1-800-685-1111 | P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374-0241 |
Experian | 1-888-397-3742 | 1-888-397-3742 | P.O. Box 949 Allen, TX 75013-0949 |
| Trans Union www.transunion.com | 1-800-680-7289 | 1-800-916-8800 | P.O. Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92834 |
What do I do if I am the victim of Identity Theft?
If you discover that your personal information is being illegally used, such as applying for loans or credit cards you can follow these steps:
- If you find accounts on your credit record that appear to be fraudulent contact the creditors or financial institution immediately and request the account to be closed.
- If you believe your Social Security number has been used contact the Social Security Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
- If you believe your personal information is being used for fraudulent or criminal purposes, file a report with the police. Keep a copy of the police report in case you need proof of the crime to show the bank, credit card company, or others.
- If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, you can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Telephone: 1-877-438-4338.
- Keep records of your interactions with creditors, banks, police etc. Make a note of the date and time you speak with them and the name of the individuals you speak with.
If you believe your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) may be at risk as part of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) breach, OPM has published the criteria for three years of no-cost credit and fraud monitoring services atwww.opm.gov/cybersecurity.
Questions about the incident and the credit and fraud monitoring services should be addressed to the Office of Personnel Management.
