Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................. 1

How Identity Theft Occurs ............................................................3

Minimize Your Risk ......................................................................5What You Can Do Today ......................................................... 5Maintaining Vigilance ..............................................................5The Doors and Windows Are Locked, but ..................................7

Choosing to Share Personal Information � or Not ..........................9Credit Bureaus.........................................................................9Department of Motor Vehicles ................................................ 10Direct Marketers .................................................................... 10

If You�re a Victim ....................................................................... 11Your First Three Steps............................................................. 11Credit Accounts ..................................................................... 12ATM Cards ............................................................................ 12Checks .................................................................................. 12

Chart Your Course of Action....................................................... 14

Resolving Credit Problems .......................................................... 15Credit Reports ....................................................................... 15Credit Cards ......................................................................... 17Debt Collectors ...................................................................... 18ATM Cards, Debit Cards and Electronic Fund Transfers ............ 19

Specific Problems....................................................................... 21Bank Fraud ........................................................................... 21Bankruptcy Fraud................................................................... 21Criminal Violations ................................................................ 22Fake Driver�s License ............................................................. 22Investment Fraud ................................................................... 22Mail Theft .............................................................................. 23Passport Fraud....................................................................... 23Phone Fraud .......................................................................... 23Social Security Number Theft and Misuse ................................ 23Tax Fraud .............................................................................. 24

It�s the Law ................................................................................ 25Federal Law........................................................................... 25State Law .............................................................................. 25

Appendix .................................................................................. 27Instructions for Completing the ID Theft Affidavit ...................... 27ID Theft Affidavit .................................................................... 29

1

Admit One

Introduction

In the course of a busy day,you may write a check atthe grocery store, charge tick-

ets to a ball game, rent a car, mailyour tax returns, call home onyour cell phone, ordernew checks or applyfor a credit card.Chances areyou don�tgive theseeverydayt r a n s a c -tions a sec-ond thought.But someoneelse may.

The 1990�sspawned a newvariety of crookscalled identitythieves. Their stock in tradeis your everyday transac-tion. Each transaction re-quires you to share per-sonal information:your bank andcredit card ac-count numbers;your income;your Social Se-

curity number (SSN); or yourname, address and phone num-bers. An identity thief co-optssome piece of your personal infor-

mation and appropriates it withoutyour knowledge to commit fraudor theft. An all-too-common ex-ample is when an identity thief uses

your personal informationto open a credit card ac-count in your name.

Identity theft is aserious crime.People whoseidentities havebeen stolen can

spend months oryears � and thou-

sands of dollars �cleaning up themess thethieves havemade of theirgood name andcredit record. In

the meantime,victims may lose job

opportunities, berefused loans for

education, housing,cars, or even bearrested for crimesthey didn�t commit.Humiliation, angerand frustration are

My purse was stolen in December 1990. In February 1991,I started getting notices of bounced checks. About a yearlater, I received information that someone using my identityhad defaulted on a number of lease agreements andbought a car. In 1997, I learned that someone had beenworking under my Social Security number for a number ofyears. A man had been arrested and used my SSN on hisarrest sheet. There�s a hit in the FBI computers for my SSNwith a different name and gender. I can�t get credit becauseof this situation. I was denied a mortgage loan, employ-ment, credit cards, and medical care for my children. I�veeven had auto insurance denied, medical insurance andtuition assistance denied.

From a consumer complaint to the FTC, January 2, 2001

2

common feelings victims experi-ence as they navigate the ardu-ous process of reclaiming theiridentity.

Perhaps you�ve received yourfirst call from a collections agentdemanding payment on a loanyou never took out � for a caryou never bought. Maybe you�vealready spent a significantamount of time and moneycalling financial institutions,canceling accounts, struggling toregain your good name andcredit. Or maybe your wallet�sbeen stolen, or you�ve just heardabout identity theft for the firsttime on the nightly news, andyou�d like to know more aboutprotecting yourself from thisdevastating crime. This bookletis for you.

The Federal Trade Commis-sion (FTC), working with othergovernment agencies and organi-zations, has produced thisbooklet to help you guard againstand recover from identity theft.Can you completely preventidentity theft from occurring?

Probably not, especially ifsomeone is determined to com-mit the crime. But you canminimize your risk by managingyour personal information wiselyand cautiously.

If you�ve been a victim ofidentity theft, call the FTC�sIdentity Theft Hotline toll-free at1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338).Counselors will take your com-

plaint and advise you on how todeal with the credit-relatedproblems that could result. Inaddition, the FTC, in conjunctionwith banks, credit grantors andconsumer advocates, has devel-oped the ID Theft Affidavit tohelp victims of ID theft restoretheir good names. The ID TheftAffidavit, a form that can beused to report information tomany organizations, simplifiesthe process of disputing chargeswith companies where a newaccount was opened in yourname. For a copy of the ID TheftAffidavit, see page 29 or visitthe ID Theft Website atwww.consumer.gov/idtheft.

The Hotline and Websitegive you one place to report thetheft to the federal governmentand receive helpful information.The FTC puts your informationinto a secure consumer frauddatabase where it can be used tohelp other law enforcementagencies and private entities intheir investigations and victimassistance.

3

How Identity Theft Occurs

Despite your best efforts tomanage the flow of yourpersonal information or to

keep it to yourself, skilled identitythieves may use avariety of methods� low- and hi-tech � to gainaccess to yourdata. Here aresome of the waysimposters can getyour personalinformation andtake over youridentity.

How identity thieves get yourpersonal information:

■ They steal wallets and purses containingyour identification and credit and bankcards.

■ They steal your mail, including your bankand credit card statements, pre-approvedcredit offers, new checks, and tax informa-tion.

■ They complete a �change of address form�to divert your mail to another location.

■ They rummage through your trash, or thetrash of businesses, for personal data in apractice known as �dumpster diving.�

■ They fraudulently obtain your credit reportby posing as a landlord, employeror someone else who may have a legitimateneed for, and legal right to, the information.

■ They find personal information in yourhome.

■ They use personal information you share onthe Internet.

■ They scam you, often through email, byposing as legitimate companies or govern-ment agencies you do business with.

■ They get your information from the work-place in a practice known as �businessrecord theft� by: stealing files out of officeswhere you�re a customer, employee, patientor student; bribing an employee who hasaccess to your files; or �hacking� into elec-tronic files.

My wallet was stolen in December 1998. There�s been no end tothe problems I�ve faced since then. The thieves used my identity towrite checks, use a debit card, open a bank account with a line ofcredit, open credit accounts with several stores, obtain cell phonesand run up huge bills, print fraudulent checks on a personal com-puter bearing my name, and more. I�ve spent the last two yearstrying to repair my credit report (a very frustrating process) andhave suffered the ill effects of having a marred credit history. I�verecently been denied a student loan because of inaccurateinformation on my credit report.

From a consumer complaint to the FTC, February 22, 2001

4

How identity thieves use yourpersonal information:

■ They call your credit card issuer and,pretending to be you, ask to change themailing address on your credit cardaccount. The imposter then runs upcharges on your account. Because yourbills are being sent to the new address, itmay take some time before you realizethere�s a problem.

■ They open a new credit card account,using your name, date of birth and SSN.When they use the credit card and don�tpay the bills, the delinquent account isreported on your credit report.

■ They establish phone or wireless service inyour name.

■ They open a bank account in your nameand write bad checks on that account.

■ They file for bankruptcy under your nameto avoid paying debts they�ve incurredunder your name, or to avoid eviction.

■ They counterfeit checks or debit cards,and drain your bank account.

■ They buy cars by taking out auto loans inyour name.

■ They give your name to the police duringan arrest. If they�re released from policecustody, but don�t show up for their courtdate, an arrest warrant is issued in yourname.

5

Minimize Your Risk

While you probablycan�t prevent identitytheft entirely, you can

minimize your risk. By managingyour personal information wisely,cautiously and with an awarenessof the issue, you can help guardagainst identity theft.

What You Can Do Today� Order a copy of your creditreport from each of the threemajor credit bureaus. Yourcredit report contains informationon where you work and live, thecredit accounts that have beenopened in your name, how youpay your bills and whetheryou�ve been sued, arrested orfiled for bankruptcy. Make sureit�s accurate and includes onlythose activities you�ve autho-rized. By law, credit bureaus cancharge you no more than $9 for acopy of your credit report. See�Credit Reports� on page 15 fordetails about removing fraudu-lent and inaccurate informationfrom your credit report.

� Place passwords on yourcredit card, bank and phoneaccounts. Avoid using easilyavailable information like yourmother�s maiden name, yourbirth date, the last four digits ofyour SSN or your phone number,

or a series of consecutive num-bers. When opening new ac-counts, you may find that manybusinesses still have a line ontheir applications for yourmother�s maiden name. Use apassword instead.

� Secure personal informationin your home, especially if youhave roommates, employ outsidehelp or are having service workdone in your home.

� Ask about information secu-rity procedures in your work-place. Find out who has access toyour personal information andverify that records are kept in asecure location. Ask about thedisposal procedures for thoserecords as well.

Maintaining Vigilance� Order a copy of your creditreport from each of the threemajor credit bureaus once a year.

I�m tired of the hours I�ve spent on the phone and all thefaxing I�ve had to do. When will it be over?

From a consumer complaint to the FTC, March 13, 2001

Tomorrow is Sunday so we won�t get any notices, but I�mnot looking forward to Monday�s mail.

From a consumer complaint to the FTC, November 13, 2001

CREDIT BUREAUS

Equifax � wwwEquifax � wwwEquifax � wwwEquifax � wwwEquifax � www.equifax.com.equifax.com.equifax.com.equifax.com

Experian � wwwExperian � wwwExperian � wwwExperian � www.experian.com.experian.com.experian.com.experian.com

TTTTransUnion � wwwransUnion � wwwransUnion � wwwransUnion � www.transunion.com.transunion.com.transunion.com.transunion.com

.equifax.comTo order your report, call: 800-685-1111To report fraud, call: 800-525-6285/TDD 800-255-0056 and write:P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian � www.experian.comTo order your report, call: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)To report fraud, call: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)/TDD 800-972-0322 and write:P.O. Box 9532, Allen TX 75013

TransUnion � www.transunion.comTo order your report, call: 800-888-4213To report fraud, call: 800-680-7289/TDD 877-553-7803; fax: 714-447-6034; email:fvad@transunion.com or write: Fraud Victim AssistanceDepartment, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634-6790

6

By checking your report on aregular basis you can catchmistakes and fraud before theywreak havoc on your personalfinances. Don�t underestimate theimportance of this step. One of themost common ways that consum-ers find out that they�re victims ofidentity theft is when they try tomake a major purchase, like ahouse or a car. The deal can belost or delayed while the creditreport mess is straightened out.Knowing what�s in your creditreport allows you to fix problemsbefore they jeopardize a majorfinancial transaction.

� Don�t give out personal informa-tion on the phone, through themail or over the Internet unlessyou�ve initiated the contact or aresure you know who you�redealing with. Identity thieves maypose as representatives of banks,Internet service providers (ISPs)and even government agencies toget you to reveal your SSN,mother�s maiden name, accountnumbers and other identifyinginformation. Before you share anypersonal information, confirm thatyou are dealing with a legitimateorganization. You can check theorganization�s website as manycompanies post scam alerts whentheir name is used improperly, oryou can call customer serviceusing the number listed on youraccount statement or in the tele-phone book.

� Guard your mail and trash fromtheft.

Deposit outgoing mail in postoffice collection boxes or at yourlocal post office, rather than in anunsecured mailbox. Promptly

remove mail from your mailbox.If you�re planning to be awayfrom home and can�t pick upyour mail, call the U.S. PostalService at 1-800-275-8777 torequest a vacation hold. ThePostal Service will hold yourmail at your local post officeuntil you can pick it up or arehome to receive it.

To thwart an identity thief whomay pick through your trash orrecycling bins to capture yourpersonal information, tear orshred your charge receipts,copies of credit applications,insurance forms, physicianstatements, checks and bankstatements, expired charge cardsthat you�re discarding, andcredit offers you get in the mail.

A SPECIAL WORD ABOUTSOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS

Your employer and financial institution will likelyneed your SSN for wage and tax reporting purposes.Other businesses may ask you for your SSN to do acredit check, like when you apply for a loan, rent anapartment, or sign up for utilities. Sometimes, how-ever, they simply want your SSN for general recordkeeping. You don�t have to give a business your SSNjust because they ask for it. If someone asks for yourSSN, ask the following questions:

■ Why do you need my SSN?■ How will my SSN be used?■ What law requires me to give you my SSN?■ What will happen if I don�t give you my SSN?

Sometimes a business may not provide you with theservice or benefit you�re seeking if you don�t provideyour SSN. Getting answers to these questions willhelp you decide whether you want to share your SSNwith the business. Remember � the decision is yours.

� Before revealing any personallyidentifying information (forexample, on an application), findout how it will be used andsecured, and whether it will beshared with others. Ask if youhave a choice about the use ofyour information. Can you chooseto have it kept confidential?

� Don�t carry your SSN card;leave it in a secure place.

� Give your SSN only whenabsolutely necessary. Ask to useother types of identifiers whenpossible. If your state uses yourSSN as your driver�s licensenumber, ask to substitute anothernumber.

� Carry only the identificationinformation and the number of

7

credit and debit cards that you�llactually need.

� Pay attention to your billingcycles. Follow up with creditorsif your bills don�t arrive on time.A missing credit card bill couldmean an identity thief has takenover your account and changedyour billing address to cover histracks.

� Be wary of promotional scams.Identity thieves may use phonyoffers to get you to give themyour personal information.

� Keep your purse or wallet in asafe place at work.

The Doors and WindowsAre Locked, but . . .You may be careful aboutlocking your doors and windows,and keeping your personal papersin a secure place. But, dependingon what you use your personalcomputer for, an identity thiefmay not need to set foot in yourhouse to steal your personalinformation. SSNs, financialrecords, tax returns, birth dates,and bank account numbers maybe stored in your computer � a

goldmine to an identity thief. Thefollowing tips can help you keepyour computer and your personalinformation safe.

� Update your virus protectionsoftware regularly, or when a newvirus alert is announced. Com-puter viruses can have a varietyof damaging effects, includingintroducing program code thatcauses your computer to send outfiles or other stored information.Be on the alert for securityrepairs and patches that you candownload from your operatingsystem�s website.

� Do not download files sent toyou by strangers or click onhyperlinks from people you don�tknow. Opening a file couldexpose your system to a com-puter virus or a program thatcould hijack your modem.

� Use a firewall program, espe-cially if you use a high-speedInternet connection like cable,DSL or T-1, which leaves yourcomputer connected to theInternet 24 hours a day. Thefirewall program will allow youto stop uninvited guests fromaccessing your computer. Withoutit, hackers can take over yourcomputer and access your per-sonal information stored on it oruse it to commit other crimes.

� Use a secure browser � soft-ware that encrypts or scramblesinformation you send over theInternet � to guard the security ofyour online transactions. Be sureyour browser has the most up-to-date encryption capabilities by

8

using the latestversion avail-able from themanufacturer.You also candownload somebrowsers forfree over theInternet. Whensubmittinginformation,look for the�lock� icon onthe browser�sstatus bar to besure yourinformation issecure duringtransmission.

� Try not to storefinancial infor-mation on your laptop unlessabsolutely necessary. If you do,use a strong password � acombination of letters (upper andlowers case), numbers andsymbols. Don�t use an automaticlog-in feature which saves youruser name and password so youdon�t have to enter them eachtime you log-in or enter a site.And always log off when you�refinished. That way, if your laptopgets stolen, it�s harder for thethief to access your personalinformation.

� Before you dispose of a com-puter, delete personal informa-tion. Deleting files using thekeyboard or mouse commandsmay not be enough because thefiles may stay on the computer�shard drive, where they may beeasily retrieved. Use a �wipe�utility program to overwrite theentire hard drive. It makes the

files unrecoverable. For moreinformation, see ClearingInformation From YourComputer�s Hard Drive(www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oig/hq/harddrive.pdf) from theNational Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration (NASA).

� Look for website privacypolicies. They answer questionsabout maintaining accuracy,access, security, and control ofpersonal information collected bythe site, as well as how informa-tion will be used, and whether itwill be provided to third parties.If you don�t see a privacy policy,consider surfing elsewhere.

For more information, seeSite-Seeing on the Internet: ATraveler�s Guide to Cyberspacefrom the FTC at www.ftc.gov.

9

OPT OUT

OPT OUT

OPT OUT

Our economy generates anenormous amount ofdata. Most users of that

information are from honestbusinesses � getting and givinglegitimate information. Despitethe benefits of the informationage, some consumers may wantto limit the amount of personalinformation they share. And theycan: More organizations areoffering people choices abouthow their personal information isused. For example, many featurean �opt-out� choice that limits theinformation shared with others orused for promotional purposes.When you �opt-out,� you may cutdown on the number of unsolic-ited telemarketing calls, promo-tional mail and spam emails thatyou receive. Learn more aboutthe options you have for protect-ing your personal information bycontacting the following organi-zations.

Credit Bureaus

Pre-Screened Credit OffersIf you receive pre-screened creditcard offers in the mail (namely,those based upon your creditdata), but don�t tear them up afteryou decide you don�t want toaccept the offer, identity thievescould retrieve the offers for theirown use without your knowledge.

To opt out of receiving pre-screened credit card offers, call:1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688). The three major creditbureaus use the same toll-free

Choosing to Share YourPersonal Information � or Not

number to let consumers chooseto not receive pre-screened creditoffers.

Marketing ListsIn addition, you can notify thethree major credit bureaus thatyou do not want personal infor-mation about you shared for

In November 2000, I found out that someone used my informationto obtain a cell phone. Since then, I�ve been living a nightmare. Mycredit report is a mess. It�s a full-time job to investigate and correctthe information.

From a consumer complaint to the FTC, April 3, 2001

10

promotional purposes. To ask thethree major credit bureaus not toshare your personal information,write to:

Equifax, Inc.OptionsPO Box 740123Atlanta, GA 30374-0123

ExperianConsumer Opt-Out701 Experian ParkwayAllen, TX 75013

TransUnionMarketing List Opt OutPO Box 97328Jackson, MS 39288-7328

Department of MotorVehiclesThe Drivers Privacy ProtectionAct forbids states from distribut-ing personal information to directmarketers. It does allow for thesharing of personal informationwith law enforcement officials,courts, government agencies,private investigators, insuranceunderwriters and similar busi-nesses. Check with your stateDMV to learn more, or visitwww.ftc.gov/privacy/protect.htm#Motor.

Direct MarketersThe Direct MarketingAssociation�s (DMA) Mail andTelephone Preference Servicesallow you to opt out of receivingdirect mail marketing andtelemarketing calls from manynational companies for five years.

When you register with theseservices, your name will be puton a �delete� file and madeavailable to direct-mail and

telephone marketers. However,your registration will not stopmailings or calls from organiza-tions not registered with theDMA�s Mail and TelephonePreference Services.

For Direct Mail MarketingDirect Marketing AssociationMail Preference ServicePO Box 643Carmel, NY 10512

Or go online at www.the-dma.org/consumers/offmailinglist.html.

For TelemarketingDirect Marketing AssociationTelephone Preference ServicePO Box 1559Carmel, NY 10512

Or go online at www.the-dma.org/consumers/offtelephonelist.html.

You also may register with astate �do not call� list: Manystates offer �do not call� lists forresidents of that state. Rules forhow to put your name andnumber on the list and whichtelemarketers are covered vary.More information on state �do notcall� lists is available atwww.ftc.gov/donotcall.

For E-mailThe DMA also has an EMailPreference Service to help youreduce unsolicited commercialemails. To �opt-out� of receivingunsolicited commercial email, useDMA�s online form atwww.dmaconsumers.org/offemaillist.html. Your onlinerequest will be effective for oneyear.

11

If You�re a Victim

Sometimes an identity thiefcan strike even if you�vebeen very careful about

keeping your personal informa-tion to yourself. If you suspectthat your personal informationhas been misused to commitfraud or theft, take action imme-diately, and keep a detailedrecord of your conversations andcorrespondence. You may wantto use the form, �Chart YourCourse of Action,�on page 14.Exactly which steps you shouldtake to protect against furtherdamage depends on your circum-stance and how your identity hasbeen misused. However, threebasic actions are appropriate inalmost every case.

Your First Three StepsFirst, contact the fraud de-partments of each of the threemajor credit bureaus. See page5 for a list of phone numbers.

Tell them that you�re anidentity theft victim. Request thata �fraud alert� be placed in yourfile, as well as a victim�s state-ment that asks creditors to callyou before opening any newaccounts or changing yourexisting accounts. This can helpprevent an identity thief fromopening additional accounts inyour name.

At the same time, ordercopies of your credit reports fromthe three major credit bureaus.Credit bureaus must give you afree copy of your report if yourreport is inaccurate because offraud, and you ask for it inwriting. Review your reportscarefully to make sure no addi-tional fraudulent accounts havebeen opened in your name or

12

unauthorized charges made toyour existing accounts. Also,check the section of your reportthat lists �inquiries.� Where�inquiries� appear from thecompany(ies) that opened thefraudulent account(s), requestthat they be removed from yourreport. (See �Credit Reports� onpage 15 for more information.) Ina few months, order new copiesof your reports to verify yourcorrections and changes, and tomake sure no new fraudulentactivity has occurred.

Please note: Fraud alerts andvictim statements are voluntaryservices provided by the creditbureaus. Creditors do not have toconsider them when grantingcredit. That�s why it�s vital tocontinue checking your reportsperiodically. In addition, fraudalerts and victim statementsexpire; you need to renew themperiodically. Ask each bureauabout its policy.

Second, close the accountsthat you know or believe havebeen tampered with or openedfraudulently.

Credit AccountsCredit accounts include allaccounts with banks, credit cardcompanies and other lenders, andphone companies, utilities, ISPs,and other service providers. Ifyou are closing your existingaccounts, use new PersonalIdentification Numbers (PINs)and passwords when you opennew accounts. Avoid using easilyavailable information like yourmothers maiden name, your birthdate, the last four digits of yourSSN or your phone number, or aseries of consecutive numbers.

If the identity thief has madecharges or debits, ask the com-pany about the following formsfor disputing those transactions:

� For New Unauthorized Ac-counts: Does the company acceptthe ID Theft Affidavit (see page29)? If not, ask the representativeto send you the company�s frauddispute forms.

� For Your Existing Accounts:Ask the representative to sendyou the company�s fraud disputeforms. If the company doesn�thave special forms, use thesample letter on page 18.

ATM CardsIf your ATM card has been lost,stolen or otherwise compromised,cancel the card as soon as youcan. Get a new card with a newPIN.

ChecksIf your checks have been stolenor misused, stop payment and askyour bank to notify the checkverification service with which itdoes business. While no federallaw limits your losses if someonesteals your checks and forgesyour signature, state laws mayprotect you. Most states hold thebank responsible for losses froma forged check. At the same time,however, most states require youto take reasonable care of youraccount. For example, you maybe held responsible for theforgery if you fail to notify thebank in a timely manner that acheck was lost or stolen. Contactyour state banking or consumerprotection agency for moreinformation.

You can contact major checkverification companies directlyfor the following services:

� To request that they notifyretailers who use their databasesnot to accept your checks, call:

TeleCheck:1-800-710-9898 or 927-0188

Certegy, Inc. (previouslyEquifax Check Systems):1-800-437-5120

International Check Services:1-800-631-9656

� To find out if the identity thiefhas been passing bad checks inyour name, call:

SCAN: 1-800-262-7771

Follow up all calls in writing.Send you letter by certified mail,return receipt requested, so youcan document what the companyreceived and when. Keep copiesfor your files.

Third, file a police reportwith your local police or thepolice in the community wherethe identity theft took place.

Get a copy of the policereport. Very often, the bank,credit card company or othersneed proof of the crime in orderto erase the debts created by theidentity thief. If you can�t get acopy of the report, at least get thereport number.

13

Tips on Filing a Police Report

■ PPPPProvide documentation.rovide documentation.rovide documentation.rovide documentation.

Be persistent.Be persistent.Be persistent.

only ifonly ifonly if

Be a motivating forceBe a motivating forceBe a motivating forceBe a motivating force

rovide documentation. Furnish as much documentation as you can to prove yourcase. Debt collection letters, credit reports, your notarized ID Theft Affidavit, and otherevidence of fraudulent activity can help the police file a complete report.

■ Be persistent.Be persistent. Local authorities may tell you that they can�t take a report. Stress theimportance of a police report; many creditors require one to resolve your dispute. Alsoremind them that under their voluntary �Police Report Initiative,� credit bureaus willautomatically block the fraudulent accounts and bad debts from appearing on your creditreport, but only ifonly if you can give them a copy of the police report. If you can�t get the localpolice to take a report, try your county police. If that doesn�t work, try your state police.

If you�re told that identity theft is not a crime under your state law, ask to file a Miscella-neous Incident Report instead. See page 25 for a list of state laws.

■ Be a motivating force. Ask your police department to search the FTC�s ConsumerSentinel database for other complaints in your community. You may not be the first oronly victim of this identity thief. If there is a pattern of cases, local authorities may giveyour case more consideration.

That�s why it�s also important to file a complaint with the FTC. Law enforcement agen-cies use complaints filed with the FTC to aggregate cases, spot patterns, and track growthin identity theft. This information can then be used to improve investigations and victimassistance.

Tips on Organizing Your Case

Accurate and complete records will greatly improve your chances of resolving youridentity theft case.

■ Follow up in writing with all contacts you�ve made on the phone or in person. Usecertified mail, return receipt requested.

■ Keep copies of all correspondence or forms you send.

■ Write down the name of anyone you talk to, what he or she told you, and the date theconversation occurred. Use Chart Your Course of Action on page 14 to help you.

■ Keep the originals of supporting documentation, like police reports, and letters to andfrom creditors; send copies only.

■ Set up a filing system for easy access to your paperwork.

■ Keep old files even if you believe your case is closed. One of the most difficult andannoying aspects of identity theft is that errors can reappear on your credit reports oryour information can be re-circulated. Should this happen, you�ll be glad you kept yourfiles.

14

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While resolving creditproblems resultingfrom identity theft can

be time-consuming and frustrat-ing, the good news is that thereare procedures under federal lawsfor correcting credit report andbilling errors, and stopping debtcollectors from contacting youabout debts you don�t owe. Hereis a brief summary of your rights,and what to do to clear up creditproblems that result from identitytheft.

Credit ReportsThe Fair Credit Reporting Act(FCRA) establishes proceduresfor correcting mistakes on yourcredit report and requires thatyour report be made availableonly for certain legitimate busi-ness needs.

Under the FCRA, both thecredit bureau and the organizationthat provided the information tothe credit bureau (the �informa-tion provider�), such as a bank orcredit card company, are respon-sible for correcting inaccurate orincomplete information in yourreport. To protect your rightsunder the law, contact both thecredit bureau and the informationprovider. It�s very important tofollow the procedures outlinedbelow. Otherwise you won�t haveany legal recourse if you have a

Resolving Credit Problems

I applied for a loan in November 2000 and was told I had bad credit. Irequested a credit report in November 2000 and found all sorts ofcrazy information on it. I�m single but was listed as married. When Irenewed my driver�s license by mail, I was surprised to find someoneelse�s face on my license. This is a nightmare and requires a largeamount of my time.

From a consumer complaint to the FTC, October 5, 2001

PPPPProving Yroving Yroving Yroving Youououou�re a Victim, Not a Deadbeat�re a Victim, Not a Deadbeat�re a Victim, Not a Deadbeat�re a Victim, Not a Deadbeat

The PThe PThe PThe Police Report:olice Report:olice Report:

The ID Theft Affidavit:The ID Theft Affidavit:The ID Theft Affidavit:

roving You�re a Victim, Not a Deadbeat

Unlike victims of other crimes, who generally aretreated with respect and sympathy, identity theft victimsoften find themselves having to prove that they�revictims, too � not deadbeats trying to get out of payingbad debts. So how do you go about proving somethingyou didn�t do? Getting the right documents and gettingthem to the right people is key.

The Police Report:olice Report: If you have a police report, send acopy to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. They willblock the information you�re disputing from your creditreports. This may take up to 30 days. The credit bu-reaus have the right to remove the block, if they believeit was wrongly placed. Because this initiative is volun-tary in the vast majority of states, it�s important to alsofollow the dispute procedures outlined in �Credit Re-ports� on this page. Contact the credit bureaus to findout more about how the �Police Report Initiative� works.If you�re having trouble getting a police report, see�Tips on Filing a Police Report� on page 13.

The ID Theft Affidavit:The ID Theft Affidavit: Since you didn�t open the ac-counts in dispute or run up the related debts, of courseyou don�t have any paperwork showing you didn�t dothese things. That�s where the ID Theft Affidavit can bevery helpful. The FTC, in conjunction with banks, creditgrantors and consumer advocates, developed the IDTheft Affidavit (see page 29) to help you close unautho-rized accounts and get rid of debts wrongfully attrib-uted to your name. If you don�t have a police report orany paperwork from creditors, send the completed IDTheft Affidavit to the three major credit bureaus. Theywill use it to start the dispute investigation process. Notall companies accept the ID Theft Affidavit. They mayrequire you to use their forms instead. Check first.

continued on page 16

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future dispute with the creditbureau or an information providerabout inaccurate information thatshould be blocked from yourreport.

First, call the credit bureauand follow up in writing. Tellthem what information youbelieve is inaccurate. Includecopies (NOT originals) of docu-ments that support your position.If you don�t have any paperworkfrom the creditor, send a copy ofthe police report and the ID TheftAffidavit (see page 29.) Inaddition to providing your com-plete name and address, yourletter should clearly identify eachitem in your report that youdispute, give the facts and explainwhy you dispute the information,and request deletion or correction.You may want to enclose a copyof your report with circles aroundthe items in question. Your lettermay look something like thesample on page 17. Send yourletter by certified mail, returnreceipt requested, so you candocument what the credit bureaureceived and when. Keep copiesof your dispute letter andenclosures.

The credit bureau�s investiga-tion must be completed within 30days (45 days if you provideadditional documents). If thecredit bureau considers yourdispute frivolous (which maymean it believes you didn�tprovide enough documentation tosupport your claim), it must tellyou so within five business days.Otherwise, it must forward allrelevant documents you provideabout the dispute to the informa-tion provider. The informationprovider then must investigate,

review all relevant informationprovided by the credit bureau,and report the results to the creditbureau. If the information pro-vider finds the disputed informa-tion to be inaccurate, it mustnotify any nationwide creditbureau to which it reports, so thatthe credit bureau can correct thisinformation in your file. Notethat:

� Disputed information thatcannot be verified must bedeleted from your file.

� If your report contains errone-ous information, the credit bureaumust correct it.

� If an item is incomplete, thecredit bureau must complete it.For example, if your file showsthat you have been late makingpayments, but fails to show thatyou are no longer delinquent, thecredit bureau must show thatyou�re current.

� If your file shows an accountthat belongs to someone else, thecredit bureau must delete it.

When the investigation iscomplete, the credit bureau mustgive you the written results and,if the dispute results in a change,a free copy of your report. If anitem is changed or removed, thecredit bureau cannot put thedisputed information back in yourfile unless the information pro-vider verifies its accuracy andcompleteness, and the creditbureau gives you a written noticethat includes the name, addressand phone number of the infor-mation provider.

Creditor Documenta-Creditor Documenta-Creditor Documenta-Creditor Documenta-Creditor Documenta-tion:tion:tion:tion:tion: Getting documen-tation from a creditormay be difficult. Credi-tors� policies on confi-dentiality and recordkeeping vary and mayprevent you from gettingthe paperwork you needto prove you didn�t makethe transaction. On theupside, most victims canget accounts closed anddebts dismissed bycompleting the creditor�sfraud paperwork or theID Theft Affidavit andincluding a copy of yourpolice report. Insist on aletter from the creditorstating that they haveclosed the disputedaccounts and havedischarged you of thefraudulent debts. Thisletter is your best defenseif errors reappear oryour personal informa-tion gets re-circulated.(See Tips on OrganizingYour Case, page 13).This letter is also the bestdocument to give creditbureaus and debt collec-tors if your police reportand ID Theft Affidavitaren�t enough to resolveyour problems withthem.

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SAMPLE DISPUTE LETTER � CREDIT BUREAU

Date

Your NameYour AddressYour City, State, Zip Code

Complaint DepartmentName of Credit BureauAddressCity, State, Zip Code

Dear Sir or Madam:I am writing to dispute the following information in my file.The items I dispute also are circled on the attached copy ofthe report I received. (Identify item(s) disputed by name ofsource, such as creditors or tax court, and identify type ofitem, such as credit account, judgment, etc.)

I am a victim of identity theft, and did not make thecharge(s). I am requesting that the item be blocked tocorrect my credit report.

Enclosed are copies of (use this sentence if applicable anddescribe any enclosed documentation) supporting myposition. Please investigate this (these) matter(s) and blockthe disputed item(s) as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Your name

Enclosures: (List what you are enclosing.)

If you ask, the credit bureaumust send notices of correctionsto anyone who received yourreport in the past six months. Jobapplicants can have a correctedcopy of their report sent toanyone who received a copyduring the past two years foremployment purposes. If aninvestigation does not resolveyour dispute, ask the creditbureau to include a 100-wordstatement of the dispute in yourfile and in future reports.

Second, in addition to writingto the credit bureau, write to thecreditor or other informationprovider to tell them that youdispute an item. Again, includecopies (NOT originals) of docu-ments that support your position,like your police report and the IDTheft Affidavit. Many informationproviders specify an address fordisputes. If the informationprovider then reports the disputeditem(s) to a credit bureau, it mustinclude a notice of your dispute.If you�re correct that the disputedinformation is not inaccurate, theinformation provider may not useit again.

For more information, seeHow to Dispute Credit ReportErrors and Fair Credit Report-ing, from the FTC atwww.consumer.gov/idtheft.

Credit CardsIn most cases, the Truth inLending Act limits your liabilityfor unauthorized credit cardcharges to $50 per card. The FairCredit Billing Act (FCBA)establishes procedures for resolv-ing billing errors on your creditcard accounts. This includesfraudulent charges on

your accounts.To take advantage of the law�s

consumer protections, you must:

� write to the creditor at theaddress given for �billing inquir-ies,� not the address for sendingyour payments. Include yourname, address, account numberand a description of the fraudu-lent charge, including the amount

and date of the error. Your lettermay look something like thesample on page 18.

� send your letter so that itreaches the creditor within 60days from when the first billcontaining the fraudulent chargewas mailed to you. If the addresson your account was changed byan identity thief and you never

18

received the bill, your disputeletter still must reach the creditorwithin 60 days of when the billwould have been mailed to you.This is why it�s so important tokeep track of your billing state-ments and immediately follow upwhen your bills don�t arrive ontime.

Send your letter by certifiedmail, return receipt requested.

This will be your proof of thedate the creditor received theletter. Include copies (NOToriginals) of sales slips or otherdocuments that support yourposition. Keep a copy of yourdispute letter.

The creditor must acknowl-edge your complaint in writingwithin 30 days after receiving it,unless the problem has been

SAMPLE DISPUTE LETTER � FOR EXISTINGCREDIT ACCOUNTS

Date

Your NameYour AddressYour City, State, Zip CodeYour Account Number

Name of CreditorBilling InquiriesAddressCity, State, Zip Code

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to dispute a fraudulent (charge or debit)attributed to my account in the amount of $______. I am avictim of identity theft, and I did not make this (charge ordebit). I am requesting that the (charge be removed or thedebit reinstated), that any finance and other chargesrelated to the fraudulent amount be credited as well, andthat I receive an accurate statement.

Enclosed are copies of (use this sentence to describe anyenclosed information, such as police report) supporting myposition. Please investigate this matter and correct thefraudulent (charge or debit) as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Your name

Enclosures: (List what you are enclosing.)

resolved. The creditor mustresolve the dispute within twobilling cycles (but not more than90 days) after receiving yourletter.

For more information, seeFair Credit Billing and AvoidingCredit and Charge Card Fraud,from the FTC atwww.consumer.gov/idtheft.

Debt CollectorsThe Fair Debt Collection Prac-tices Act prohibits debt collectorsfrom using unfair or deceptivepractices to collect overdue billsthat a creditor has forwarded forcollection.

You can stop a debt collectorfrom contacting you by writing aletter to the collection agencytelling them to stop. Once thedebt collector receives your letter,the company may not contact youagain � with two exceptions: theycan tell you there will be nofurther contact and they can tellyou that the debt collector or thecreditor intends to take somespecific action.

A collector also may notcontact you if, within 30 daysafter you receive the writtennotice, you send the collectionagency a letter stating you do notowe the money.

Although your letter shouldstop the debt collector�s calls anddunning notices, it will notnecessarily get rid of the debtitself, which may still turn up onyour credit report.

A collector can renew collec-tion activities if you�re sent proofof the debt. So, along with yourletter stating you don�t owe themoney, include copies of docu-ments that support your position.

19

If you�re a victim of identitytheft, include a copy (NOT theoriginal) of the police report. Ifyou don�t have documentation tosupport your position, be asspecific as possible about why thedebt collector is mistaken.

The debt collector is respon-sible for sending you proof thatyou�re wrong. For example, if thedebt in dispute originates from acredit card you never applied for,ask for the actual applicationcontaining the applicant�s

signature.You can then prove thatit�s not your signature on theapplication. In many cases, thedebt collector will not send youany proof, but will insteadreturn the debt to the creditor.

For more information, seeFair Debt Collection from theFTC at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

ATM Cards, Debit Cardsand Electronic FundTransfersThe Electronic Fund Transfer Actprovides consumer protectionsfor transactions involving anATM or debit card or any otherelectronic way to debit or creditan account. It also limits yourliability for unauthorized elec-tronic fund transfers.

It�s important to report lost orstolen ATM and debit cards

immediately because the amountyou can be held responsible fordepends on how quickly youreport the loss.

� If you report your ATM card lostor stolen within two business daysof discovering the loss or theft,your losses are limited to $50.

� If you report your ATM card lostor stolen after the two businessdays, but within 60 days after astatement showing an unautho-rized electronic fund transfer, youcan be liable for up to $500 ofwhat a thief withdraws.

� If you wait more than 60 days,you could lose all the money thatwas taken from your accountfrom the end of the 60 days to thetime you reported your cardmissing.

The best way to protectyourself in the event of an error orfraudulent transaction is to callthe financial institution and followup in writing � by certified letter,return receipt requested � so youcan prove when the institutionreceived your letter. Keep a copyof the letter you send for yourrecords.

After receiving notificationabout an error on your statement,the financial institution generallyhas 10 business days to investi-gate. The institution must tell youthe results of its investigationwithin three business days aftercompleting it and must correct anerror within one business dayafter determining that the errorhas occurred. If the institutionneeds more time, it may take upto 45 days to complete the inves-

20

FORTHE

CONSUMER

FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE FTCIS IMPORTANT

If you�ve been a victim of identity theft, file a complaintwith the FTC by contacting the FTC�s Identity TheftHotline by telephone: toll-free 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-1-877-IDTHEFT (438-1-877-IDTHEFT (438-1-877-IDTHEFT (438-1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338)4338)4338)4338)

wwwwwwwwwwww.consumer.consumer.consumer.consumer.gov/idtheft.gov/idtheft.gov/idtheft

4338); TDD: 202-326-2502; by mail: Identity TheftClearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Penn-sylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580; oronline: www.consumer.gov/idtheft.gov/idtheft.

Although the FTC does not have the authority to bringcriminal cases, the Commission can help victims ofidentity theft by providing information to assist them inresolving the financial and other problems that canresult from this crime.

By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC,you will provide important information that can helplaw enforcement officials track down identity thievesand stop them. The FTC also refers victim complaints toother appropriate government agencies and privateorganizations for further action.

tigation � but only if the money indispute is returned to youraccount and you are notifiedpromptly of the credit. At the endof the investigation, if no errorhas been found, the institutionmay take the money back if itsends you a written explanation.

Note: VISA and MasterCardvoluntarily have agreed to limitconsumers� liability for unautho-rized use of their debit cards inmost instances to $50 per card,no matter how much time haselapsed since the discovery of theloss or theft of the card.

For more information, seeElectronic Banking and Credit,ATM and Debit Cards: What toDo If They�re Lost or Stolen, twoconsumer publications from theFTC at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

21

Specific Problems

Numerous federal andstate agencies havejurisdiction over specific

aspects of identity theft. If yourtheft relates to any of the follow-ing categories, contact the agen-cies directly for help and informa-tion or to initiate an investigation.

Bank FraudIf you�re having trouble gettingyour financial institution to helpyou resolve your banking-relatedidentity theft problems, includingproblems with bank-issued creditcards, contact the agency with theappropriate jurisdiction. If you�renot sure which of the agencieslisted below has jurisdiction overyour institution, call your bank orvisit www.ffiec.gov/enforcement.htm.

Federal Deposit InsuranceCorporation (FDIC) �www.fdic.gov

The FDIC supervises state-chartered banks that are notmembers of the Federal ReserveSystem and insures deposits atbanks and savings and loans.

Call the FDIC Consumer CallCenter at 1-800-934-3342; orwrite: Federal Deposit InsuranceCorporation, Division of Compli-ance and Consumer Affairs, 55017th Street, NW, Washington,DC 20429.

FDIC publications:� Classic Cons... And How toCounter Them � www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnsprg98/cons.html� A Crook Has Drained YourAccount. Who Pays? �www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnsprg98/crook.html

� Your Wallet: A Loser�s Manual� www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnfall97/wallet.html

Federal Reserve System (Fed)� www.federalreserve.gov

The Fed supervises state-chartered banks that are membersof the Federal Reserve System.

Call: 202-452-3693; or write:Division of Consumer andCommunity Affairs, Mail Stop801, Federal Reserve Board,Washington, DC 20551; orcontact the Federal Reserve Bankin your area. The 12 ReserveBanks are located in Boston,New York, Philadelphia, Cleve-land, Richmond, Atlanta, Chi-cago, St. Louis, Minneapolis,Kansas City, Dallas and SanFrancisco.

National Credit Union Admin-istration (NCUA) �www.ncua.gov

The NCUA charters andsupervises federal credit unionsand insures deposits at federalcredit unions and many statecredit unions.

Call: 703-518-6360; or write:Compliance Officer, NationalCredit Union Administration,1775 Duke Street, Alexandria,VA 22314.

Office of the Comptroller ofthe Currency (OCC) �www.occ.treas.gov

The OCC charters andsupervises national banks. If theword �national� appears in thename of a bank, or the initials�N.A.� follow its name, the OCCoversees its operations.

Call: 1-800-613-6743 (busi-

ness days 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.CST); fax: 713-336-4301; write:Customer Assistance Group,1301 McKinney Street, Suite3710, Houston, TX 77010.

OCC publications:� Check Fraud: A Guide toAvoiding Losses �www.occ.treas.gov/chckfrd/chckfrd.pdf� How to Avoid Becoming aVictim of Identity Theft �www.occ.treas.gov/idtheft.pdf� Identity Theft and PretextCalling Advisory Letter 2001-4 �www.occ.treas.gov/ftp/advi-sory/2001-4.doc

Office of Thrift Supervision(OTS) � www.ots.treas.gov

The OTS is the primaryregulator of all federal, and manystate-chartered, thrift institutions,which include savings banks andsavings and loan institutions.

Call: 202-906-6000; or write:Office of Thrift Supervision,1700 G Street, NW, Washington,DC 20552.

Bankruptcy FraudU. S. Trustee (UST) �www.usdoj.gov/ust

If you believe someone hasfiled for bankruptcy in yourname, write to the U.S. Trustee inthe region where the bankruptcywas filed. A list of the U.S.Trustee Programs�s RegionalOffices is available on the USTwebsite, or check the Blue Pagesof your phone book under U.S.Government Bankruptcy Admin-istration.

Your letter should describethe situation and provide proof ofyour identity. The U.S. Trustee, ifappropriate, will make a criminal

22

referral to law enforcementauthorities if you provide appro-priate documentation to substanti-ate your claim. You also maywant to file a complaint with theU.S. Attorney and/or the FBI inthe city where the bankruptcywas filed. The U.S. Trustee doesnot provide legal representation,legal advice or referrals tolawyers. That means you mayneed to hire an attorney to helpconvince the bankruptcy courtthat the filing is fraudulent. TheU.S. Trustee does not provideconsumers with copies of courtdocuments. Those documentsare available from the bankruptcyclerk�s office for a fee.

Criminal ViolationsAlthough procedures to correctyour record within the criminaljustice databases vary from stateto state, and even from county tocounty, the following informationcan be used as a general guide.

If wrongful criminal violationsare attributed to your name,contact the arresting or citing lawenforcement agency � that is, thepolice or sheriff�s department thatoriginally arrested the personusing your identity, or the courtagency that issued the warrant forthe arrest. File an impersonationreport. And have your identityconfirmed: The police departmenttakes a full set of your finger-prints and your photograph, andcopies any photo identificationdocuments like your driver�slicense, passport or visa. Ask thelaw enforcement agency tocompare the prints and photo-graphs with those of the imposterto establish your innocence. If thearrest warrant is from a state or

county other than where you live,ask your local police departmentto send the impersonation reportto the police department in thejurisdiction where the arrestwarrant, traffic citation orcriminal conviction originated.

The law enforcement agencyshould then recall any warrantsand issue a �clearance letter� orcertificate of release (if you werearrested/booked). You�ll need tokeep this document with you atall times in case you�re wronglyarrested. Also, ask the lawenforcement agency to file, withthe district attorney�s (D.A.)office and/or court where thecrime took place, the record ofthe follow-up investigationestablishing your innocence. Thiswill result in an amended com-plaint being issued. Once yourname is recorded in a criminaldatabase, it�s unlikely that it willbe completely removed from theofficial record. Ask that the �keyname,� or �primary name,� bechanged from your name to theimposter�s name (or to �JohnDoe� if the imposter�s trueidentity is not known), with yourname noted only as an alias.

You�ll also want to clear yourname in the court records. You�llneed to determine which statelaw(s) will help you do this andhow. If your state has no formalprocedure for clearing yourrecord, contact the D.A.�s officein the county where the case wasoriginally prosecuted. Ask theD.A.�s office for the appropriatecourt records needed to clearyour name.

Finally, contact your stateDMV to find out if your driver�slicense is being used by the

identity thief. Ask that your filesbe flagged for possible fraud.

You may need to hire acriminal defense attorney to helpyou clear your name. ContactLegal Services in your state oryour local bar association for helpin finding an attorney.

Fake Driver�s LicenseIf you think your name or SSN isbeing used by an identity thief toget a driver�s license or a non-driver�s ID card, contact yourDMV. If your state uses yourSSN as your driver�s licensenumber, ask to substitute anothernumber.

Investment FraudU.S. Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC) �www.sec.gov

The SEC�s Office of InvestorEducation and Assistance servesinvestors who complain to theSEC about investment fraud orthe mishandling of their invest-ments by securities professionals.If you believe that an identitythief has tampered with yoursecurities investments or abrokerage account, immediatelyreport it to your broker or ac-count manager and to the SEC.You can file a complaint with theSEC using the online ComplaintCenter at www.sec.gov/complaint.shtml. Be sure toinclude as much detail as pos-sible. If you don�t have access tothe Internet, you can write to theSEC at: SEC Office of InvestorEducation and Assistance, 450Fifth Street, NW, WashingtonDC, 20549-0213. For generalquestions, call 202-942-7040.

23

Mail TheftU.S. Postal Inspection Service(USPIS) � www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect

USPIS is the law enforcementarm of the U.S. Postal Serviceresponsible for investigatingcases of identity theft. USPIS hasprimary jurisdiction in all mattersinfringing on the integrity of theU.S. mail. If an identity thief hasstolen your mail to get new creditcards, bank or credit card state-ments, pre-screened credit offersor tax information, has falsifiedchange-of-address forms, orobtained your personal informa-tion through a fraud conducted bymail, report it to your local postalinspector. You can locate theUSPIS district office nearest youby calling your local post office orchecking the list at the websiteabove.

Passport FraudUnited States Department ofState (USDS) �www.travel.state.gov/passport_services.html

If you�ve lost your passport orbelieve it was stolen or is beingused fraudulently, contact theUSDS through their website orcall a local USDS field office.Local field offices are listed in theBlue Pages of your telephonedirectory.

Phone FraudIf an identity thief has establishedphone service in your name, ismaking unauthorized calls thatseem to come from � and arebilled to � your cellular phone, oris using your calling card andPIN, contact your service pro-

vider immediately to cancel theaccount and/or calling card. Opennew accounts and choose newPINs. If you�re having troublegetting fraudulent phone chargesremoved from your account orgetting an unauthorized accountclosed, contact the appropriateagency from the list below.

For local service, contactyour state Public Utility Commis-sion.

For cellular phones andlong distance, contact theFederal Communications Com-mission (FCC) � www.fcc.gov.The FCC regulates interstate andinternational communications byradio, television, wire, satelliteand cable. You can contact theFCC�s Consumer InformationBureau to find out about informa-tion, forms, applications andcurrent issues before the FCC.Call: 1-888-CALL-FCC; TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC; or write:Federal Communications Com-mission, Consumer Information

Bureau, 445 12th Street, SW,Room 5A863, Washington, DC20554. You can file complaintsvia the online complaint form atwww.fcc.gov, or e-mail ques-tions to fccinfo@fcc.gov.

Social Security NumberTheft and MisuseSocial Security Administration(SSA) � www.ssa.gov

The SSA Office of theInspector General investigatescases of identity theft. Reportallegations that an SSN has beenstolen or misused to the SSAFraud Hotline. Call: 1-800- 269-0271; fax: 410-597-0118; write:SSA Fraud Hotline, P.O. Box17768, Baltimore, MD 21235; ore-mail: oig.hotline@ssa.gov.

Also call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to verify the accuracy ofthe earnings reported on yourSSN, and to request a copy ofyour Social Security Statement.Follow up in writing.

SHOULD I APPLY FOR A NEW SOCIALSECURITY NUMBER?

Under certain circumstances, SSA may issue you a newSSN � at your request � if, after trying to resolve theproblems brought on by identity theft, you continue toexperience problems. Consider this option carefully. Anew SSN may not resolve your identity theft problems,and may actually create new problems. For example, anew SSN does not necessarily ensure a new creditrecord because credit bureaus may combine the creditrecords from your old SSN with those from your newSSN. Even when the old credit information is not associ-ated with your new SSN, the absence of any credithistory under your new SSN may make it more difficultfor you to get credit. And finally, there�s no guaranteethat a new SSN also would not be misused by an iden-tity thief.

24

SSA publications:� SSA Fraud Hotline for Report-ing Fraud � www.ssa.gov/oig/guidelin.htm� Social Security: Your Numberand Card (SSA Pub. No. 05-10002) � www.ssa.gov/pubs/10002.html� When Someone Misuses YourNumber (SSA Pub. No. 05-10064) � www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html

Tax FraudInternal Revenue Service (IRS)� www.treas.gov/irs/ci

The IRS is responsible foradministering and enforcing taxlaws. If you believe someone hasassumed your identity to filefederal Income Tax Returns, or tocommit other tax fraud, call toll-free: 1-800-829-0433. Victims ofidentity theft who are havingtrouble filing their returns shouldcall the IRS Taxpayer AdvocatesOffice, toll-free:1-877-777-4778.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

FFFFFederal Tederal Tederal Tederal Trade Commission (FTrade Commission (FTrade Commission (FTrade Commission (FTC) � wwwC) � wwwC) � wwwC) � www.ftc.gov.ftc.gov.ftc.gov.ftc.gov

1-877-FT1-877-FT1-877-FT1-877-FTCCCC-HELP (382-4357)-HELP (382-4357)-HELP (382-4357)wwwwwwwwwwww.consumer.consumer.consumer.consumer.gov/idtheft.gov/idtheft.gov/idtheft

Department of Justice (DOJ) � wwwDepartment of Justice (DOJ) � wwwDepartment of Justice (DOJ) � wwwDepartment of Justice (DOJ) � www.usdoj.gov.usdoj.gov.usdoj.gov.usdoj.gov

wwwwwwwwwwww.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html

FFFFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) � wwwederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) � wwwederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) � wwwederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) � www.fbi.gov.fbi.gov.fbi.gov.fbi.gov

wwwwwwwwwwww.fbi.gov/.fbi.gov/.fbi.gov/.fbi.gov/contact/fo/norfolk/1999/ident.htmcontact/fo/norfolk/1999/ident.htmcontact/fo/norfolk/1999/ident.htmcontact/fo/norfolk/1999/ident.htm

UUUU.S.S.S.S. Secret Service (USSS) � www. Secret Service (USSS) � www. Secret Service (USSS) � www. Secret Service (USSS) � www.treas.gov/usss.treas.gov/usss.treas.gov/usss.treas.gov/usss

wwwwwwwwwwww.treas.gov/usss/financial_crimes.shtml.treas.gov/usss/financial_crimes.shtml.treas.gov/usss/financial_crimes.shtml.treas.gov/usss/financial_crimes.shtml

wwwwwwwwwwww.treas.gov/usss/faq.shtm.treas.gov/usss/faq.shtm.treas.gov/usss/faq.shtm.treas.gov/usss/faq.shtm

ederal Trade Commission (FTC) � www.ftc.govThe FTC is educating consumers and businesses about theimportance of personal information privacy. Here are someadditional publications you may find useful. To request afree copy, call 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357)-HELP (382-4357) or visitwww.consumer.gov/idtheft.gov/idtheft.

� Getting Purse-onal: What To Do If Your Wallet or Purse Is Stolen� Identity Crisis... What to Do If Your Identity Is Stolen� Identity Thieves Can Ruin Your Good Name: Tips for Avoiding

Identity Theft� Avoiding Credit and Charge Card Fraud� Credit, ATM and Debit Cards: What to Do If They�re Lost or

Stolen� Credit Card Loss Protection Offers: They�re The Real Steal� Electronic Banking� Fair Credit Billing� Fair Credit Reporting� Fair Debt Collection�How to Dispute Credit Report Errors

Department of Justice (DOJ) � www.usdoj.govThe DOJ and its U.S. Attorneys prosecute federal identitytheft cases. Information on identity theft is available atwww.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) � www.fbi.govThe FBI, a criminal law enforcement agency, investigatescases of identity theft. The FBI recognizes that identity theftis a component of many crimes including bank fraud, mailfraud, wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud, insurance fraud, fraudagainst the government, and terrorism. Local field officesare listed in the Blue Pages of your telephone directory.

Protecting Yourself Against Identity Fraud � www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/norfolk/1999/ident.htm

U.S. Secret Service (USSS) � www.treas.gov/usssThe U.S. Secret Service investigates financial crimes, whichmay include identity theft. Although the Secret Service gen-erally investigates cases where the dollar loss is substantial,your information may provide evidence of a larger patternof fraud requiring their involvement. Local field offices arelisted in the Blue Pages of your telephone directory.

Financial Crimes Division �www.treas.gov/usss/financial_crimes.shtml

Frequently Asked Questions: Protecting Yourself �www.treas.gov/usss/faq.shtm

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Federal Law

The Identity Theft andAssumption DeterrenceAct, enacted by Congress

in October 1998 (and codified, inpart, at 18 U.S.C. §1028) is thefederal law making identity thefta crime.

Identity Theft andAssumption DeterrenceAct of 1998

The Identity Theft and As-sumption Deterrence Act makesit a federal crime when someone�knowingly transfers or uses,without lawful authority, a meansof identification of another personwith the intent to commit, or toaid or abet, any unlawful activitythat constitutes a violation offederal law, or that constitutes afelony under any applicable stateor local law.�

Under the Act, a name orSSN is considered a �means ofidentification.� So is a credit cardnumber, cellular telephoneelectronic serial number or anyother piece of information thatmay be used alone or in conjunc-tion with other information toidentify a specific individual.

Violations of the Act areinvestigated by federal lawenforcement agencies, includingthe U.S. Secret Service, the FBI,the U.S. Postal InspectionService, and SSA�s Office of theInspector General. Federalidentity theft cases are pros-ecuted by the U.S. Department ofJustice.

In most instances, a convic-tion for identity theft carries amaximum penalty of 15 yearsimprisonment, a fine and forfei-ture of any personal property

used or intended to be used tocommit the crime. Pursuant to theAct, the U.S. Sentencing Com-mission has developed federalsentencing guidelines to provideappropriate penalties for thosepersons convicted of identitytheft.

Schemes to commit identitytheft or fraud also may involveviolations of other statutes, suchas credit card fraud, computerfraud, mail fraud, wire fraud,financial institution fraud, orSocial Security fraud. Each ofthese federal offenses is a felonyand carries substantial penalties �in some cases, as high as 30 yearsin prison as well as fines andcriminal forfeiture.

State LawsMany states have passed lawsrelated to identity theft; others areconsidering such legislation.Where specific identity theft lawsdo not exist, the practices may beprohibited under other laws.Contact your State AttorneyGeneral�s office (for a list of stateoffices, visit www.naag.org) orlocal consumer protection agencyfor laws related to identity theft,

or visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft. State laws enacted at thetime of this booklet�s publicationare listed below.

AlabamaAlabama Code § 13A-8-190through 201

AlaskaAlaska Stat. § 11.46.565

ArizonaAriz. Rev. Stat. § 13-2008

ArkansasArk. Code Ann. § 5-37-227

CaliforniaCal. Penal Code § 530.5-530.8

ColoradoNo ID theft law

ConnecticutConn. Stat. § 53a-129a (crimi-nal);Conn. Stat. § 52-571h (civil)

Delaware11 Del Code, § 854

FloridaFla. Stat. Ann. § 817.568

It�s the Law

26

GeorgiaGa. Code Ann. § 16-9-120through 128

HawaiiNo ID theft law

IdahoIdaho Code § 18-3126 (criminal);Idaho Code § 28-51-102 (civil)

Illinois720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/16G

IndianaInd. Code § 35-43-5-3.5

IowaIowa Code § 715A.8 (criminal);Iowa Code § 714.16.B (civil)

KansasKan. Stat. Ann. § 21-4018

KentuckyKy. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 514.160

LouisianaLa. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 14:67.16

MaineNo ID theft law

MarylandMd. Code Ann. art. 27, § 231

MassachusettsMass. Gen. Laws ch. 266, § 37E

MichiganMich. Comp. Laws § 750.219e

MinnesotaMinn. Stat. § 609.527

MississippiMiss. Code Ann. § 97-19-85

MissouriMo. Rev. Stat. § 570.223

MontanaMon. Code Ann. § 45-6-332

NebraskaNo ID theft law

NevadaNev. Rev. State. § 205.463-465

New HampshireN.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 638:26

New JerseyN.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:21-17

New MexicoN.M. Stat. Ann. § 30-16-24.1

New YorkNo ID theft law

North CarolinaN.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-113.20-23

North DakotaN.D.Cent. Codes § 12.1-23-11

OhioOhio Rev. Code Ann. § 2913.49

OklahomaOkla. Stat. tit. 21, § 1533.1

OregonOr. Rev. Stat. § 165.800

Pennsylvania18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4120

Rhode IslandR.I. Gen. Laws Sect. 11-49-1.1

South CarolinaS.C. Code Ann. § 16-13-510

South DakotaS.D. Codified Laws § 22-30A-3.1.

TennesseeTCA § 39-14-150 (criminal);TCA § 47-18-2101 (civil)

TexasTex. Penal Code § 32.51

UtahUtah Code Ann. § 76-6-1101-1104

VirginiaVa. Code Ann. § 18.2-186.3

VermontNo ID theft law

WashingtonWash. Rev. Code § 9.35.020

West VirginiaW. Va. Code § 61-3-54

WisconsinWis. Stat. § 943.201

WyomingWyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-3-901

U.S. TERRITORIES

Guam9 Guam Code Ann. § 46.80

U.S. Virgin IslandsNo ID theft law

Instructions forCompleting the ID Theft Affidavit

To make certain that you do not become respon-sible for the debts incurred by the identity thief,you must provide proof that you didn�t create thedebt to each of the companies where accountswhere opened or used in your name.

A working group composed of credit grant-ors, consumer advocates and the Federal TradeCommission (FTC) developed this ID TheftAffidavit to help you report information to manycompanies using just one standard form. Use ofthis affidavit is optional for companies. While manycompanies accept this affidavit, others require thatyou submit more or different forms. Before yousend the affidavit, contact each company to findout if they accept it.

You can use this affidavit where a new ac-count was opened in your name. The informationwill enable the companies to investigate the fraudand decide the outcome of your claim. (If some-one made unauthorized charges to an existingaccount, call the company to find out what todo.)

This affidavit has two parts:■■■■■ ID Theft Affidavit is where you report general

information about yourself and the theft.

■■■■■ Fraudulent Account Statement iswhere you describe the fraudulent account(s)opened in your name. Use a separate Fraudu-lent Account Statement for each company youneed to write to.

When you send the affidavit to the compa-nies, attach copies (NOT originals) of any support-ing documents (for example, drivers license, policereport) you have. Before submitting your affidavit,review the disputed account(s) with family mem-bers or friends who may have information about

the account(s) or access to them.Complete this affidavit as soon as pos-

sible. Many creditors ask that you send it withintwo weeks of receiving it. Delaying could slow theinvestigation.

Be as accurate and complete as possible.You may choose not to provide some of theinformation requested. However, incorrect orincomplete information will slow the process ofinvestigating your claim and absolving the debt.Please print clearly.

When you have finished completing theaffidavit, mail a copy to each creditor, bank orcompany that provided the thief with the unautho-rized credit, goods or services you describe.Attach to each affidavit a copy of the FraudulentAccount Statement with information only onaccounts opened at the institution receiving thepacket, as well as any other supporting documen-tation you are able to provide.

Send the appropriate documents to eachcompany by certified mail, return receiptrequested, so you can prove that it was received.The companies will review your claim and sendyou a written response telling you the outcome oftheir investigation. Keep a copy of everythingyou submit for your records.

If you cannot complete the affidavit, a legalguardian or someone with power of attorney maycomplete it for you. Except as noted, the informa-tion you provide will be used only by the companyto process your affidavit, investigate the eventsyou report and help stop further fraud. If thisaffidavit is requested in a lawsuit, the companymight have to provide it to the requesting party.

Completing this affidavit does not guaranteethat the identity thief will be prosecuted or thatthe debt will be cleared.

DO NOT SEND AFFIDAVIT TO THE FTC OR ANY OTHERGOVERNMENT AGENCY

If you haven�t already done so, report the fraudto the following organizations:

1. Each of the three national consumerreporting agencies. Ask each agency toplace a �fraud alert� on your credit report,and send you a copy of your credit file.When you have completed your affidavitpacket, you may want to send them a copyto help them investigate the disputedaccounts.

■■■■■ Equifax Credit Information Services,Inc.(800) 525-6285/ TDD 1-800-255-0056 andask the operator to call the Auto DisclosureLine at 1-800-685-1111 to obtain a copy ofyour report.P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241www.equifax.com

■■■■■ Experian information Solutions, Inc.(888) 397-3742/ TDD (800) 972-0322P.O. Box 9530, Allen, TX 75013www.experian.com

■■■■■ TransUnion(800) 680-7289/ TDD (877) 553-7803Fraud Victim Assistance DivisionP.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634-6790www.transunion.com

2. The fraud department at each creditor,bank, or utility/service that provided theidentity thief with unauthorized credit,goods or services. This would be a goodtime to find out if the company accepts thisaffidavit, and whether they require notariza-tion or a copy of the police report.

3. Your local police department. Ask theofficer to take a report and give you a copyof the report. Sending a copy of your policereport to financial institutions can speed upthe process of absolving you of wrongfuldebts or removing inaccurate informationfrom your credit reports. If you can�t get acopy, at least get the number of the report.

4. The FTC, which maintains the IdentityTheft Data Clearinghouse � the federalgovernment�s centralized identity theftcomplaint database � and provides informa-tion to identity theft victims. You can visitwww.consumer.gov/idtheft or call toll-free 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338).

The FTC collects complaints from identitytheft victims and shares their informationwith law enforcement nationwide. Thisinformation also may be shared with othergovernment agencies, consumer reportingagencies, and companies where the fraudwas perpetrated to help resolve identitytheft related problems.

DO NOT SEND AFFIDAVIT TO THE FTC OR ANY OTHERGOVERNMENT AGENCY

Victim Information

(1) My full legal name is ___________________________________________________________ (First) (Middle) (Last) (Jr., Sr., III)

(2) (If different from above) When the events described in this affidavit took place, I was known as

____________________________________________________________________________(First) (Middle) (Last) (Jr., Sr., III)

(3) My date of birth is ____________________ (day/month/year)

(4) My Social Security number is________________________________

(5) My driver�s license or identification card state and number are__________________________

(6) My current address is __________________________________________________________

City ___________________________ State _________________ Zip Code ______________

(7) I have lived at this address since ____________________ (month/year)

(8) (If different from above) When the events described in this affidavit took place, my address was______________________________________________________________________________

City ___________________________ State _________________ Zip Code ______________

(9) I lived at the address in Item 8 from __________ until __________ (month/year) (month/year)

(10) My daytime telephone number is (____)____________________

My evening telephone number is (____)____________________

ID Theft Affidavit

Name __________________________________ Phone number _______________________ Page 1

DO NOT SEND AFFIDAVIT TO THE FTC OR ANY OTHERGOVERNMENT AGENCY

Name __________________________________ Phone number _______________________ Page 2

DO NOT SEND AFFIDAVIT TO THE FTC OR ANY OTHERGOVERNMENT AGENCY

How the Fraud Occurred

Check all that apply for items 11 - 17:

(11) ❑ I did not authorize anyone to use my name or personal information to seek the money,credit, loans, goods or services described in this report.

(12) ❑ I did not receive any benefit, money, goods or services as a result of the events describedin this report.

(13) ❑ My identification documents (for example, credit cards; birth certificate; driver�s license;Social Security card; etc.) were ❑ stolen ❑ lost on or about __________________.

(day/month/year)(14) ❑ To the best of my knowledge and belief, the following person(s) used my information (for

example, my name, address, date of birth, existing account numbers, Social Securitynumber, mother�s maiden name, etc.) or identification documents to get money, credit,loans, goods or services without my knowledge or authorization:

_________________________________ ____________________________________Name (if known) Name (if known)_________________________________ ____________________________________Address (if known) Address (if known)_______________________________ ____________________________________Phone number(s) (if known) Phone number(s) (if known)_________________________________ ____________________________________Additional information (if known) Additional information (if known)

(15) ❑ I do NOT know who used my information or identification documents to get money,credit, loans, goods or services without my knowledge or authorization.

(16) ❑ Additional comments: (For example, description of the fraud, which documents orinformation were used or how the identity thief gained access to your information.)

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________(Attach additional pages as necessary.)

Name __________________________________ Phone number _______________________ Page 3

DO NOT SEND AFFIDAVIT TO THE FTC OR ANY OTHERGOVERNMENT AGENCY

Victim�s Law Enforcement Actions

(17) (check one) I ❑ am ❑ am not willing to assist in the prosecution of the person(s) whocommitted this fraud.

(18) (check one) I ❑ am ❑ am not authorizing the release of this information to lawenforcement for the purpose of assisting them in the investigation and prosecution of theperson(s) who committed this fraud.

(19) (check all that apply) I ❑ have ❑ have not reported the events described in this affidavitto the police or other law enforcement agency. The police ❑ did ❑ did not write areport. In the event you have contacted the police or other law enforcement agency, pleasecomplete the following:

_____________________________ _________________________________(Agency #1) (Officer/Agency personnel taking report)____________________________ _________________________________(Date of report) (Report number, if any)_____________________________ _________________________________(Phone number) (email address, if any)

_____________________________ _________________________________(Agency #2) (Officer/Agency personnel taking report)_____________________________ _________________________________(Date of report) (Report number, if any)_____________________________ _________________________________(Phone number) (email address, if any)

Documentation Checklist

Please indicate the supporting documentation you are able to provide to the companies you plan tonotify. Attach copies (NOT originals) to the affidavit before sending it to the companies.

(20) ❑ A copy of a valid government-issued photo-identification card (for example, your driver�slicense, state-issued ID card or your passport). If you are under 16 and don�t have aphoto-ID, you may submit a copy of your birth certificate or a copy of your official schoolrecords showing your enrollment and place of residence.

(21) ❑ Proof of residency during the time the disputed bill occurred, the loan was made or theother event took place (for example, a rental/lease agreement in your name, a copy of autility bill or a copy of an insurance bill).

(22) ❑ A copy of the report you filed with the police or sheriff�s department. If you are unable toobtain a report or report number from the police, please indicate that in Item 19. Somecompanies only need the report number, not a copy of the report. You may want to checkwith each company.

Signature

I declare under penalty of perjury that the information I have provided in this affidavit is true andcorrect to the best of my knowledge.

_______________________________________ __________________________________(signature) (date signed)

Knowingly submitting false information on this form could subject you to criminalprosecution for perjury.

______________________________________(Notary)

[Check with each company. Creditors sometimes require notarization. If they do not, please have onewitness (non-relative) sign below that you completed and signed this affidavit.]

Witness:

_______________________________________ __________________________________(signature) (printed name)

_______________________________________ __________________________________(date) (telephone number)

Name __________________________________ Phone number _______________________ Page 4

DO NOT SEND AFFIDAVIT TO THE FTC OR ANY OTHERGOVERNMENT AGENCY

I declare (check all that apply):❑ As a result of the event(s) described in the ID Theft Affidavit, the following account(s) was/were

opened at your company in my name without my knowledge, permission or authorization usingmy personal information or identifying documents:

Completing this Statement� Make as many copies of this page as you need. Complete a separate page for each

company you�re notifying and only send it to that company. Include a copy of yoursigned affidavit.

� List only the account(s) you�re disputing with the company receiving this form. See theexample below.

� If a collection agency sent you a statement, letter or notice about the fraudulent account,attach a copy of that document (NOT the original).

Fraudulent Account Statement

Creditor Name/Address(the company that opened theaccount or provided the goods orservices)

AccountNumber

Type of unauthorizedcredit/goods/servicesprovided by creditor(if known)

Dateissued oropened(if known)

Amount/Valueprovided(the amountcharged or thecost of thegoods/services)

❑ During the time of the accounts described above, I had the following account open with your company:

Billing name ___________________________________________________________________

Billing address__________________________________________________________________

Account number _______________________________________________________________

ExampleExample National Bank22 Main StreetColumbus, Ohio 22722

01234567-89 auto loan 01/05/2002 $25,500.00

Name __________________________________ Phone number _______________________ Page 5

DO NOT SEND AFFIDAVIT TO THE FTC OR ANY OTHERGOVERNMENT AGENCY

1

The FTC�s Privacy Policy

When you contact us with complaints or requests for information, you cancontact us online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft; by telephone, toll-free at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338); or by mail: Federal Trade Commission, Identity TheftClearinghouse, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. Beforeyou do, there are a few things you should know.

We enter the information you send into our electronic database � the IdentityTheft Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse is a system of records covered under thePrivacy Act of 1974. In general, the Privacy Act prohibits unauthorized disclo-sures of the records it protects, it also gives individuals the right to reviewrecords about themselves. Learn more about your Privacy Act rights and theFTC�s Privacy Act procedures by contacting the FTC�s Freedom of InformationAct Office: 202-326-2430; www.ftc.gov/foia/privacy_act.htm.

The information you submit is shared with our attorneys and investigators. Italso may be shared with employees of various other federal, state, or local lawenforcement or regulatory authorities. We also may share information with certainprivate entities, such as credit bureaus and any companies you may have com-plained about, where we believe that doing so might assist in resolving identitytheft-related problems. You may be contacted by the FTC or any of the agenciesor private entities to whom your complaint has been referred. In other limitedcircumstances, including requests from Congress, we may be required by law todisclose information you submit.

You have the option to submit your information anonymously. However, ifyou do not provide your name and contact information, law enforcement andother entities will not be able to contact you to obtain additional information toassist in identity theft investigations and prosecutions.

www.consumer.gov/idtheft

1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338)