Tools to Recover Identity
If your private financial information gets into the wrong hands, the consequences can be devastating. There are many ways you can help protect yourself on a daily basis, from taking precautions online to checking your credit report periodically. Sometimes, however, the precautions aren’t enough and you find yourself a victim of identity theft. If so, it’s important that you act quickly. Contacting the correct agencies and filing the necessary reports will go a long way toward minimizing any damage to your financial well-being.
If you feel you have been a victim of any type of fraud, please contact RGCU immediately.
- To report a lost or stolen credit or debit card, click here.
- Contact the fraud departments of creditors.
- Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission and get a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
- If the crime involved the U.S. Mail, report it to your nearest U.S. Postal Inspection Service office.
- If the crime involved counterfeit credit cards or computer hacking, report it to the U.S. Secret Service.
- Check whether the major credit reporting agencies have accounts in your name that were opened without your consent. Ask them to place a “fraud alert” on your file.
- You may be advised to close some or all of your accounts. Change your PIN codes and passwords immediately.
- Keep a record of the names and phone numbers of people with whom you discussed your case, and of all reports and supporting documents.
- Take other appropriate actions, depending on your identity theft situation (e.g., contact the Social Security Administration office to report suspected Social Security number theft, file a report with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service if your mail has been stolen, etc).
Report the fraud to law enforcement
Report identity theft to your local police department. If the crime occurred somewhere other than where you live, you may want to report it to law enforcement there as well. The police will create an “identity theft report” and you can request a copy.
Contact the credit reporting companies
Immediately contact the fraud departments of each of the credit bureaus listed below. Alert them that you have been a victim of identity theft, and request that a fraud alert be placed in your file. You can also request a security freeze, preventing credit issuers from obtaining access to your credit files without your permission. This prevents thieves from opening new credit cards in your name.
File a fraud report
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) does not investigate identity theft cases, but it can share information that you provide, such as the identity theft report number, with investigators nationwide. For more information about fighting back against identity theft, visit the FTC's Identity Theft website or call the hotline: 877-IDTHEFT (877-438-4338).
Create a fraud recovery plan
The Federal Trade Commission can help you create a recovery plan if you’ve become a victim of identity theft. When you report what happened, you’ll receive a personalized recovery plan and can track your progress online step-by-step. Learn more at https://identitytheft.gov.
Credit Bureau Contact Information
Equifax
Order Credit Report: 1-800-685-1111
Fraud Hotline: 1-888-766-0008
www.equifax.com
Experian
Report Order: 1-888-397-3742
Fraud Hotline: 1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com
TransUnion
Report Order: 1-877-322-8228
Fraud Hotline: 1-800-680-7289
https://www.transunion.com/