Identity theft happens when someone steals your identity and uses your identify fraudulently to receive any forms of financial aid or to use your sensitive information. According to an average, identity thefts are not discovered until 4 months after the crime has occurred. With in this time, the thieves have caused havoc on the victim’s credit rating. Identify thefts can cause serious effect on anyone’s life that they will find it difficult to get a job, obtain loans, an apartment, or even write checks.
If you found you are a victim to identity theft you will be so depressed thinking how to get back on top after identity theft. Here are some ideas which will explain how to get back on top after identity theft. You need to follow several steps to go back to the previous position after an identify theft.
Remember when even you found you are a victim of identity theft, act as quickly as possible. Don’t waste time for crying, each and every second you are wasting will invite more and more problems in your life. First of all call your law enforcement and complain and report the identity theft. Make sure you obtain an incident number for your complaint. Report which all documents you lost, such as credit cards, driving licenses, and passports.
These are some preliminary steps, let us explain in detail what you have to do to get back on top after an identify theft.
- Contact the fraud departments and place a fraud alert on your credit file
- Contact all the other law enforcement agencies and find if there are any more complaints exist on your identity.
- Close all your accounts which have been affected (it is better to close all your existing accounts) and give your banks and other financial institutions copied of fraud-dispute forms signed by you. Remember to keep copies in your hand.
- Obtain a police report in all jurisdictions the theft occurred
- Contact the Identity Theft Resource center at www.idtheftcenter.org or 858-693-7935
- Provide all your creditors with copies of report of the crime.
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (800-IDTHEFT or www.consumer.gov/idtheft) and Post Office
- Apply for a now driver’s license from the state of motor vehicles and attach a fraud report with your driving record.
- Notify check verification firms about any fraudulent checks
- Reopen new bank accounts
- Change your passwords and PIN immediately
Identity theft can happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime. Once you found you are a victim of identity theft it is very difficult to get back to your previous position. Hence it is advisable to take enough precaution from identify thieves. We can avoid identity thefts by knowing the different types of identity thefts which can be occurred and preventing and protecting ourselves from these types of identity thefts. After all, prevention is better than cure.