Identity Theft Recognition

08-14-2024Online Security

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website, the following are clues that someone has stolen a victim’s identity information:

1. The victim sees withdrawals from his or her bank account that cannot be explained.
2. The victim doesn’t get bills or other mail.
3. Merchants refuse to honor the victim’s checks.
4. Debt collectors call about debts that are not the victim’s debts.
5. The victim finds unfamiliar accounts or charges on the victim’s credit report.
6. Medical providers bill the victim for services the victim did not receive.
7. The victim’s health care provider rejects legitimate medical claim(s) because the records show that the victim has reached the benefits limit.
8. A health plan won’t cover the victim because medical records show a condition that the victim does not have.
9. The victim experiences an unusual delay in getting a tax refund (IRS suspects ID theft).
10. The victim gets an IRS notice of duplicate tax return filing, unreported income, or duplicate dependents.

A credit report includes information on where individuals live, how they pay their bills, whether they have been sued, and whether they have filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide credit reporting companies sell this information to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses to evaluate applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires the nationwide credit reporting companies to provide individuals with a free copy of their credit report once every 12 months.

The three major credit reporting agencies are as follows:

• Equifax, Equifax.com, (800) 525-6285.
• Experian, Experian.com, (888) 397-3742.
• TransUnion, TransUnion.com, (800) 680-7289.

It is not necessary to contact the companies individually. The nationwide credit reporting companies have set up a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address in order to request the free annual credit report. To order, visit www.annualcreditreport.com, call (877) 322-8228, or submit the Annual Credit Report Request Form. Individuals can order reports from all three companies at the same time, or at different times. Those requesting their report online should be able to access the report immediately (if they are able to successfully answer the “out of the wallet” questions). Otherwise, the report will be processed and mailed within 15 days of the failed online attempt, telephone call, or receipt of the request form.