Steps to Recovery - For Identity Theft Victims 

Notify the credit bureaus... there are three Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.  When you notify one of these bureaus that you are a potential victim of identity theft, they will notify the other two bureaus for you.  Ask for a "fraud alert".  This will require the business to call you before extending credit.  Consider using your cell phone number if you have one.  It will be more convenient for you.  Initially this alert lasts for only 3 months.  However, you can then ask that it be extended for up to seven years, but you must make a separate request for the extension. 

Continue to monitor your credit reports... you should check your report every few months to make certain that your thief is not using your information again.  All creditors do not check credit reports before issuing credit.  Every state has different laws on obtaining free credit reports.  Check your state for how many you can request without a charge. 

Report the Crime to Law Enforcement... Report the crime to the local police or Sherriff.  Many times credit card companies require a copy of the police report in order to verify the crime. 

Report the Crime to the FTC...  They do not investigate the crimes, but report them to investigators nationwide. 

If New Accounts are Opened... If your thief continues to open new accounts, you need to have a contingency plan.  Notify the business immediately by phone and in writing.  This action can prevent them from being able to report the non-payment to the credit bureaus.  You should also request that the forward all information they collected from the thief to your fraud investigation officer. 

Current Debit or Credit Accounts…  If your thief has used these accounts, request in writing replacement cards with new account numbers and be sure to use NEW security passwords.  Do not use anything that can be easily guessed with the information your thief has, like your mother’s maiden name. 

Debt collectors... You are not required to pay the bills run up by your thief.  You do need to make the debt collectors aware of what has happened, and should send them copies of the police reports or any other information they request.  Be sure to make sure they close the collection account.  Your diligent management of these requests will simplify the recovery process for you. 

Check and banking fraud... If you had checks stolen, or had a bank account setup fraudulently, your bank, when notified, will report to "ChexSystems".  They will also place a security alert on your file. 

ATM Cards... If your ATM card is stolen, you will need to report it to the bank, and fill out a fraud affidavit.  You can then get a new card, account number and password. 

Cell Phone Service Fraud…  Identity thieves like to establish fraudulent cell phone accounts and leave the bills unpaid.  You should follow the same steps you do with any other business to clear up this issue.  If your calling card or cell phone has been stolen, report it to the company, cancel the service, and request a new account with new passwords etc. 

Legal help... If you are not getting the cooperation that you feel you should be getting from the credit bureaus, or are continuing to be harassed from creditors then you should contact an attorney.  They will help you with your recovery to see that the fraudulent reporting is cleared from your records.  They are a great resource to help you manage the ID theft disaster. 

This can be a very stressful experience, and one that can have an emotional impact on the strongest of people.  Don’t give in, people do recover from this disaster.  Do not pay any portion of a bill that is resulting from fraud.  Do not file for bankruptcy.  Do not let collection agencies or anyone else coerce you into paying fraudulent bills.  Report these high pressure attempts to law enforcement, the FTC and your investigation officer immediately. 

Order Credit Report… Whether you are currently a victim of identity theft, or are wanting to prevent a future disaster by managing your credit and making a risk assessment for possible theft on a regular basis, it is smart to evaluate risks, and assess the validity of your credit report on an ongoing basis.  

About the author:

Renee Bamber is a successful entrepreneur and online publisher. Further research is available for disaster management and best practices for disaster recovery on her business continuity website. Review her research on business continuity for small to mid-sized companies.  She takes a critical look at risk assessment, and contingency planning to prevent or minimize damages resulting from threats (natural and otherwise) to businesses.  Other resources related to business continuity are available on her website.  Renee researches and publishes articles on a variety of topics.  Email her directly at articles@business-continuity-4u.com to discuss having her write professional articles for your website.