|
Call your credit card companies and other financial institutions, to cancel your credit cards, or to place a credit card fraud alert on accounts opened in your name. Most call numbers are on the back of card and on your statements. Then follow up in writing (certified mail) to dispute the credit card fraud accounts. When you follow up send copies of your affidavits and police reports. Keep written, detailed records, of when you called and who you talked to report the credit card fraud, and any online notes. Many credit card identity theft victims find that the credit card company just turns the bad debt over to the collection agency, so be sure you get a letter from the credit card companies resolving these credit card fraud charges. If you open new accounts put passwords on them. You should keep records of when your credit card bills are delivered, to help prevent credit card fraud. If you don’t report a stolen credit card within two business days, or dispute charges within 60 days of your statement, you may be responsible for the charges. This is almost undetectable when the credit card fraud is done with a skimmer. (See Report 14 and 24). Re check your credit report every 90 days to make sure these charges are taken off. . Don’t carry any more cards then you know you’ll use on any given day. If your wallet is stolen you’ll know which cards you had with you. Keep a photocopy or written record of all credit cards, account numbers, and expiration dates (in a safe). Many companies will mail your new card just before the old one expires, (without notice) this is prime picking for credit card identity theft. Note that 20% of all credit card fraud alerts are ignored. Just because the credit card company calls to say “someone tried to use your card” doesn’t mean that you won’t become an identity theft victim, it means the thief already has your information and he may apply elsewhere. Many thieves can scan credit card information while in the mail route, or steal pre-approved credit offers, and change the address. Your card their address.
Opt Out of credit card offers: (Note: This IS NOT who to contact to report tampered accounts, or to close accounts, or to place credit card fraud alerts, this is to get your name off the mailing list, for pre approved, and prescreen credit card / insurance and other offers.) The Opt Out Phone Number is: 1-888-5OPT-OUT or 1-888-567-8688, or you can visit optoutprescreen.com/ If you call the opt out phone number and still receive offers, contact the companies directly to opt out. If you still keep getting offers, wrap up a brick, along with “REMOVE ME FROM YOUR LIST” and return the offer with their postage paid envelope. Depending on how long it’s been since you moved, you may want to stop offers to old address’s also (need to write for this), you can’t use the opt out phone number. Your name will be opt out of credit card offers for only five years. This will help give you some protection from other credit card scams, and identity theft through theft or tampering with mail. Shred any offers you do receive, do not just throw in the trash. Many thieves will take these offers from the trash, (dumpster diving See Report 23), or even from the dump and apply for credit in your name, at a different address.
Credit Reports - Your credit report is produced by credit bureaus, while the major three are listed on a previous page, there are many others as well. Your credit report is where most identity theft first appears. These reports include a wealth of personal information about you including your date of birth, address, social security number, credit account information, public records, and employment data. Your credit report can help you stay ahead of, or at least keep track identity theft, but it won't stop it. You are entitled to a free credit report at AnnualCreditReport. You should also check your children’s credit report at least once a year. If your credit report shows accounts you did not open, contact the companies internal fraud investigator.
Cross Check - Phone: 1-800-843-0760. Bad check reporting company.
|
