10 Steps to Take If You Suspect You're a Victim of Identity Theft
You may choose to file a report with your local police department.
at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338) or go to: www.identitytheft.gov/ To order a copy of your Social Security Administration earnings and benefits statement, or to check whether someone has used your Social Security number to get a job or to avoid paying taxes, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/statement/.
How To Know if Someone Stole Your Identity
Police departments can do very little to investigate and prosecute identity theft. ... You can use the Identity Theft Report to help get false information taken off your credit reports, stop a company from collecting debts and place an extended fraud alert on your credit reports.
You have limited liability for fraudulent debts caused by identity theft. Under most state laws, you're not responsible for any debt incurred on fraudulent new accounts opened in your name without your permission. Under federal law, the amount you have to pay for unauthorized use of your credit card is limited to $50.
Report Identity Theft. Report identity (ID) theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at IdentityTheft.gov or by phone at 1-877-438-4338.
Here are some steps to take for a lost or stolen Social Security card: 1. Consider placing a fraud alert or a security freeze on your credit reports or locking them. ... Security freezes help prevent access to your credit reports to open new credit accounts, with certain exceptions.
Thieves might have a difficult time accessing your bank account if they only knew your Social Security number. Most of the time, to either access an existing account or open up a new bank account, the bank would require additional forms of identification, such as your physical Social Security card, Real ID or passport.
The FTC collects complaints about identity theft from those whose identities have been stolen. You may reach the FTC's identity theft hotline toll free at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338) or visit their website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. Additional Resources: Protecting Your Social Security Number from Identity Theft.
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