identity-theftKnowing how to report identity theft is important, as this is a serious problem facing everyone today. Identity theft is an increasingly common problem, with literally thousands of new victims each day. The sad fact is, there are people out there who are eager to assume the identities of others. The reasons for this are many and varied. One of the most common reasons is that the thief has a poor credit rating and is not able to gain access to loans, credit cards, and rental properties on his own, so he steals the identity of someone with good credit. Then, he proceeds to apply for loans in the victim’s name, and in most cases, will not repay those loans, thus ruining the victim’s own credit. Once he’s ruined his victim’s credit, he moves on to new victims, using them up and throwing them out as needed. It’s a dastardly crime.

Unless you’re very careful, it will be easy for a thief to steal your identity. These types of thieves know all the tricks to gaining access to someone’s personal information. They’ll rifle through your garbage to find credit card statements with your account number on them. They’ll look over your shoulder at the ATM while you punch in your PIN. They’ll even steal checks out of your mailbox and use them, forging your signature. There’s no end to the lengths to which they’ll go to get what they want from you.

You can protect yourself in the following ways:

*Shred all your personal documents before putting them in the trash.

*Cover the keypad with your hand whenever you type in your PIN code at the ATM, grocery store, or other location where it’s needed.

*Have your checks sent to the bank, and pick them up there, rather than having them mailed to your house.

If your identity IS stolen, you need to report identity theft right away. The longer you wait to do it, the more opportunity the thief will have to run up a lot of debt using your name. The more activity the thief is able to generate using your credit, the harder it will be to undo the damage later. Time is of the essence, so don’t wait.

The best way to report identity theft is to call your bank and credit card companies first, to let them know. That way, they can be on the lookout for any suspicious activity on your account. Next, you should report the theft to the police. Identity theft is a serious crime, and getting the police involved will help you in undoing the damage with your creditors. Then, sign up for a credit monitoring service, so that you’ll always know right away if something strange is going on with your credit. The more you know, the more you can protect yourself.

This is the third installment in our identity theft series. Be sure to check back for updates…

Filed under: Identity Theft

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