|
Use Firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus protection on your home computer and keep them up to date.
Contact those that you have automatic payments withdrawn from your accounts, let them know of your new bank accounts so your payments aren’t late. Place fraud alerts with them, and change all your passwords.
As required by FTC, you’re entitled to a free annual credit report , this service is set up by the three major credit reporting companies. To get yours write: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P. O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281 or Phone: 1-877-322-8228 or 1-888-867-8688. Be careful not to use other so called “free” credit report sites, as only annual credit report.com is authorized by the FTC. Obtaining a copy of your credit report is a vital step in identity theft recovery.
Attorneys General are the chief legal officers in their respective states and serve as counselors for state government agencies and the legislature and as representatives of the public interest. Contact them if you feel you’ve been scammed by any licensed professional.
Contact your bank and other financial institutions, discuss whether to close accounts immediately or to change your passwords and have the institution monitor for possible bank fraud. Place passwords on any new accounts that you open. Watch for bills or statements that don’t arrive on time, and calls or letters about purchases you did not make. Be sure to send the bank your identity theft affidavit & certified letters, this can speed your identity theft recovery.
Senior citizens should have their bank send duplicate statements to a trusted family member or professional advisor. Many scams to the elderly are not detected for months afterwards.
Birth certificates & Birth Date -don’t carry certificate with you. When posting in forum boards, and my-space type web sites don’t leave your true, or full birth date. Be careful how much personal information you give in birth, death and other public announcements in the paper.
|
