IDENTITY THEFT…What steps should you take when it happens to YOU?
Most people don’t know what to do when Identity Theft happens to them and some people feel they may never be a victim – but when it happens – it is
OVERWHELMING AND FAST!
Thieves don’t take vacations and it can happen at any time. All it could take – is going to the wrong website on the internet or when you go to pay for that fill up of gas at the gas station, even bypassing the wrong person with your phone unprotected on the street.
Anywhere & at any time it’s possible!
Here is a checklist of things to do – if you do become a victim of Identity Theft:
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission @ (identitytheft.gov). They will assist you in putting together a recovery plan.
• Contact the Three Major Credit Bureaus: (freeze all of your accounts, even new ones that you haven’t opened yourself but may have been opened by the thief)
Equifax (Equifax.com)
Experian (Experian.com)
TransUnion (TransUnion.com)
• File a police report, take a deep breath, then begin following the steps in your plan.
In addition, you may want to protect yourself even further – go that extra step and find a secure service to protect your Identity. Don’t forget they may also get your Social Security number in this process and it would be wise to contact the IRS to get a PIN number for future tax filings and, confirm no unauthorized activity has happened on your behalf (irs.gov).
You may never find out who did this to you! You may never feel vindicated that someone will pay for the upset they have caused in your life!
However, you can stop it from happening in the future or again, if you forget these steps and it happens to you-you can call your tax professional and they can help you with this information. The above general information is intended for informational purposes only.
