Summary:
1 Notify credit bureaus / fraud alerts
1a. Monitor your credit reports
1b. Security freeze
2. Law enforcement
3. Federal Trade Commission
4. New credit accounts
5. Existing accounts
6. Debt collectors
7. Check and banking fraud
8. ATM cards
9. Brokerage accounts
10. Fraud involving U.S. mail
11. Secret service
12. SSN misuse
13. Passports
14. Phone service
15. Student loans
16. Driver's license number misuse
17. Identity theft involving those you know
18. Victim statements
19. False civil and criminal judgments
20. Legal help
21. Keep good records
22. Dealing with emotional stress
23. Making change
24. Don't give in
25. Other useful tips
26. Resources
Detailed:
[url=http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs17a.htm]Identity Theft Victims Guide[/url]
Some good suggestions in there.
Luckily, I haven't been a victim of identity theft. I was however stolen from by a business partner. The one tip a lawyer gave me which proved to be very useful was that every letter I sent, I keep a photocopy of. Oh, and to always deal by letter and not by phone - that way I have a record of the event.
When I ended up in court about 2 years later, trying to recover some of the money, the fact that I had proof of everything I had sent - and my opponent did not, was a real plus for me.
In comparison to my opponent, I looked organised, professional and believeable - and I won.
For ID theft, I would presume that it is vital to be able to prove that as soon as you realised, you tried to alert every organisation that you could. When trying to convince the police and credit companies that you did not spend that $3,500 in Aruba, copies of your correspondence will almost certainly help.
Best wishes.
How long did you know your business partner?
Excellent advice Writer. I'm glad it worked out for you.
