Minimize Your Risk of Identity Theft
Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus at least once a year.
EQUIFAX – www.equifax.com
To order your report call: (800) 685-1111.
To report fraud, call: (800) 525-6285.
TDD (800) 255-0056.
Write: Equifax, P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
EXPERIAN – www.experian.com
To order your report call: (888) EXPERIAN (397-3742).
To report fraud, call: (888) EXPERIAN (397-3742).
TDD (800) 972-0322
Write: Experian, P.O. Box 9532, Allen TX 75013
TransUnion – www.transunion.com
To order your report, call: (800) 888-4213.
To report fraud, call: (800) 680-7289.
TDD (877)553-7803
Fax: (714) 447-6034
Email: fvad [at] transunion.com
Write: Fraud Victim Assistance Department, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634-6790
Helpful Hints to Protect You from Identity Theft
- Place passwords on your credit card, bank and phone accounts.
- Secure personal information in your home.
- Ask questions about information security procedures in your workplace.
- Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or the internet unless you have initiated the contact or are sure you know with whom you are dealing.
- Guard your mail and trash from theft.
- Use a shredder.
- Before revealing any personally identifying information, find out how it will be used and secured, and whether it will be shared.
- Don’t carry your social security card. Leave it in a secured place.
- Give your social security number only when absolutely necessary.
- Carry only the identification information and the number of credit and debit cards that you’ll actually need.
- Pay attention to your billing cycles.
- Be wary of promotional scams.
- Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work.
Hints for Using the Internet
- Update your virus protection software regularly or when a new virus alert is announced.
- Do not download files sent to you by strangers or click hyperlinks from people you don’t know.
- Use a firewall program, especially if you use a high-speed Internet connection like cable, DSL or T-1, which leaves your computer connected to the Internet 24 hours a day.
- Use a secure browser – software that encrypts or scrambles information you send over the Internet – to guard the security of online transactions.
- Try not to store financial information on your laptop unless absolutely necessary.
- Use passwords to protect your information. Include letters and numbers.
- Before disposing of a computer, you need to wipe clean the hard drive.
- Look for website privacy policies.
Helpful Information
- DIRECT MAIL MARKETING – Direct Marketing Association Mail Preference Service, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512 or www.the-dma.org/consumers/offmailinglist.html.
- TELEMARKETING – Direct Marketing Association Telephone Preference Service, PO BOX 1559, Carmel, NY 10512 or www.the-dma.org/consumers/offtelephonelist.html or www.ftc.gov/donotcall.
- E-MAIL – www.dmaconsumers.org/consumers/optoutform_emps.shtml
- Federal Trade Commission – www.consumer.gov/idtheft
If You are a Victim of Identity Theft
- Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus as soon as possible.
- Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Also, notify the bank about checks that are lost or stolen.
- File a police report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Get a copy of the police report for your records.
- Contact the Federal Trade Commission at (877) ID-THEFT or (877) 438-4338 or www.consumer.gov/idtheft