----------------~
WHAT
TO
DO
IF YOUR
IDENTITY IS STOLEN
FEDERAL TRADE
COMMISSION
FTC.GOV/IDTHEFT
1
INTRODUCTION 3
IMMEDIATE STEPS 5
Place an Initial Fraud Alert 6
Order Your Credit Reports 8
Create an Identity Theft Report 9
NEXT STEPS 13
Review Your Credit Reports 13
Dispute Errors with Credit Reporting Companies 13
Blocking: Report Errors to the Credit Reporting Companies 17
Blocking: Report Errors to Businesses 18
Get Copies of Documents the Identity Thief Used 19
ATM and Debit Cards 20
Checking Accounts 21
Credit Cards 23
Bankruptcy Filed in Your Name 24
Investment Accounts 24
2
Debt Collectors 25
Government-Issued Identification 26
Mail Theft 27
Utilities 27
Student Loans 28
Misuse of Social Security Number 28
Income Taxes 29
Medical Identity Theft 30
Child Identity Theft 32
Criminal Violations 34
REDUCE YOUR RISK 37
Review Your Credit Reports 37
Review Your Explanation of Medical Benefits 38
Respond Quickly to Notices from the Internal Revenue Service 38
Active Duty Alerts for Military Personnel 39
Protect Your Personal Information 40
SAMPLE LETTERS AND FORMS 43
Contact info is provided on the inside back cover.
3
INTRODUCTION
Identy the happens when someone steals your personal informaon and uses it without your permission.
It is a serious crime that can wreak havoc with your nances, credit history, and reputaon – and it can take
me, money, and paence to resolve. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the naon’s consumer protecon
agency, prepared this guide to help you repair the damage that identy the can cause, and reduce the risk of
identy the happening to you.
If you suspect that someone has stolen your identy, acng quickly is the best way to limit the damage. Seng
things straight involves some work. This guide has ps, worksheets, blank forms, and sample leers to guide
you through the recovery process. It covers:
• what identy the vicms must do immediately
• what problems may crop up
• how you can reduce your risk of identy the
How do thieves get my information?
“I thought I kept my personal informaon to myself.”
You may have, but identy thieves are resourceful and use a variety of ways to get your informaon. They
“dumpster dive” or rummage through your garbage, the trash of businesses, or public dumps. They may work
– or pretend to work – for legimate companies, medical oces, clinics, pharmacies, or government agencies,
and take advantage of that role to convince you to reveal personal informaon. Some thieves pretend to
represent an instuon you trust, and try to trick you by email (phishing) or phone (pretexng) into revealing
personal informaon.
What do identity thieves do with my information?
Once identy thieves have your personal informaon, they can drain your bank account, run up charges on
your credit cards, open new ulity accounts, or get medical treatment on your health insurance. An identy
thief might even le a tax return in your name and get your refund. In some extreme cases, a thief might even
give your name to the police during an arrest.
4
How can I tell that someone has stolen my information?
• you see unexplained withdrawals from your bank account
• you don’t get your bills or other mail
• merchants refuse your checks
• debt collectors call you about debts that aren’t yours
• you nd unfamiliar accounts or charges on your credit report
• medical providers bill you for services you didn’t use
• your health plan rejects your legimate medical claim because the records show you’ve reached your
benets limit
• the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) noes you that more than 1 tax return was led in your name, or that
you have income from an employer you don’t work for
• you get noce that your informaon was compromised by a data breach at a company where you do
business or have an account
• you are arrested for a crime someone else allegedly commied in your name
What should I do if my information is lost or stolen, but my accounts don’t show any
problems?
If your wallet, Social Security card, or other personal, nancial, or account informaon is lost or stolen,
contact the credit reporng companies and place a fraud alert on your credit le. See how to place a fraud
alert on page 6. Check your bank and other account statements for unusual acvity. You may want to take
addional steps, depending on what informaon was lost or stolen. For example, you can exercise your legal
right to a free copy of your credit report.
If your informaon is lost in a data breach, the organizaon that lost your informaon will nofy you and tell
you about your rights. Generally, you may choose to:
• place a fraud alert on your credit le
• monitor your accounts for unusual acvity
• exercise your right to a free copy of your credit report
You may have other rights under state law.
5
IMMEDIATE STEPS
This secon explains the rst steps to take if your identy is stolen:
Place an Inial Fraud Alert
Order Your Credit Reports
Create an Identy The Report
MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS
As you get started, create a system to organize your papers and track deadlines.
ITEM HOW TO TRACK TIPS
Telephone
Calls
Create a log of all
telephone calls.
• Record the date of each call and the names and
telephone numbers of everyone you contact.
• Prepare your quesons before you call. Write down
the answers.
Postal Mail Send leers by
cered mail. Ask for
a return receipt.
• See sample leers starng at page 43.
Documents Create a ling
system.
• Keep all originals.
• Send copies of your documents and reports, not
originals. Make copies of your idencaon to
include in leers.
Deadlines Make a meline. List important dates, including when:
• You must le requests
• A company must respond to you
• You must send follow-up
6
Place an Initial Fraud Alert
Three naonwide credit reporng companies keep records of your credit history. If you think someone has
misused your personal or nancial informaon, call 1 of the companies and ask them to put an inial fraud
alert on your credit report. You must provide proof of your identy. The company you call must tell the other
companies about your alert.
An inial fraud alert can make it harder for an identy thief to open more accounts in your name. When you
have an alert on your report, a business must verify your identy before it issues credit in your name, so it may
try to contact you. Be sure the credit reporng companies have your current contact informaon so they can
get in touch with you. The inial alert stays on your report for 90 days. It allows you to order 1 free copy of
your credit report from each of the 3 credit reporng companies.
HOW TO PLACE A FRAUD ALERT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact 1 credit
reporng company.
Report that you are an identy the vicm.
Ask the company to put a fraud alert on your credit le.
Conrm that the company you call will contact the other 2
companies.
Placing a fraud alert is free. The inial fraud alert stays on your credit
report for 90 days.
Be sure the credit reporng companies have your current contact
informaon so they can get in touch with you.
Learn about your rights.
The credit reporng company will explain that you can get a free credit
report, and other rights you have.
Mark your calendar.
The inial fraud alert stays on your report for 90 days. You can renew it
aer 90 days.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Equifax
1‑800‑525‑6285
Experian
1‑888‑397‑3742
TransUnion
1‑800‑680‑7289
7
Consider Requesting a Credit Freeze
You may want to contact the credit reporng companies to place a credit freeze on your credit le. A credit
freeze means potenal creditors cannot get your credit report. That makes it less likely an identy thief can
open new accounts in your name. The cost to place and li a freeze depends on state law. In many states,
identy the vicms can place a freeze for free, but in others, vicms must pay a fee, which is usually about
$10. If you have a police report, you may be able to place or li a freeze for free.
Pung a credit freeze on your credit le does not aect your credit score. If you place a credit freeze on your
credit le, you can:
• get a copy of your free annual credit report
• open a new account, apply for a job, rent an apartment, buy insurance, renance your mortgage, or do
anything else that requires your credit report
If you want a business, lender, or employer to be able to review your credit report, you must ask the credit
reporng company to li the freeze. You can ask to li the freeze temporarily or permanently. You may be
charged a fee to li the freeze.
HOW TO REQUEST A CREDIT FREEZE
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact your state
Aorney General’s oce.
Find your state Aorney General’s oce at www.naag.org to determine
what your state allows.
Ask if there is a fee for pung a freeze on your credit le.
Ask how long the freeze lasts.
Contact each credit
reporng company.
Report that you are an identy the vicm.
Ask the company to put a freeze on your credit le.
Pay the fee required by state law.
Mark your calendar.
Your state law determines how long the credit freeze lasts.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Equifax
1‑800‑525‑6285
Experian
1‑888‑397‑3742
TransUnion
1‑800‑680‑7289
8
Order Your Credit Reports
Aer you place an inial fraud alert, the credit reporng company will explain your rights and how you can get
a copy of your credit report. Placing an inial fraud alert entles you to a free credit report from each of the
3 credit reporng companies.
HOW TO ORDER YOUR FREE CREDIT REPORTS
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact each credit
reporng company.
Explain that you placed an inial fraud alert.
Order your free copy of your credit report.
Ask each company to show only the last 4 digits of your Social
Security number on your report.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Contact Businesses
If you know which of your accounts have been tampered with, contact the related businesses. Talk to someone
in the fraud department, and follow up in wring. Send your leers by cered mail; ask for a return receipt.
That creates a record of your communicaons.
When you read your credit report, you may nd unauthorized charges or accounts. Learn how to review your
credit report and dispute errors on page 13.
Equifax
1‑800‑525‑6285
Experian
1‑888‑397‑3742
TransUnion
1‑800‑680‑7289
9
Create an Identity Theft Report
An Identy The Report helps you deal with credit reporng companies, debt collectors, and businesses that
opened accounts in your name. You can use the Report to:
• get fraudulent informaon removed from your credit report
• stop a company from collecng debts that result from identy the, or from selling the debt to another
company for collecon
• place an extended fraud alert on your credit report
• get informaon from companies about accounts the identy thief opened or misused
Creating an Identity Theft Report Involves 3 Steps:
Submit a complaint about the the to the FTC. When you nish wring all the details, print a copy of the
report. It will print as an Identy The Adavit.
File a police report about the identy the, and get a copy of the police report or the report number.
Bring your FTC Identy The Adavit when you le a police report.
Aach your FTC Identy The Adavit to your police report to make an Identy The Report.
Some companies want more informaon than the Identy The Report includes, or want dierent
informaon. The informaon you need to provide depends on the policies of the credit reporng company and
the business that sent the informaon about you to the credit reporng company.
10
HOW TO REPORT IDENTITY THEFT TO THE FTC AND PRINT
AN FTC IDENTITY THEFT AFFIDAVIT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Complete the FTC’s
online complaint
form.
www.c.gov/complaint
Complete the complaint form with as many details as you know.
Review the form and click “submit.”
Save the complaint reference number that appears aer you
submit your informaon.
You’ll need your complaint reference number to update your
complaint online or by phone.
Save or print your
FTC Identy The
Adavit.
Click on the words “Click here to get your completed FTC Identy
The Adavit.”
Before you leave that screen, be sure you saved or printed your
Adavit. You cannot save or print it aer you leave this screen.
OR
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Call the FTC.
1‑877‑438‑4338
1-866-653-4261 (TTY)
Tell the representave what happened.
Ask for your complaint reference number and Adavit password.
The FTC representave will email you a link so you can get your
Adavit.
Save or print your
FTC Identy The
Adavit.
Go to the link the representave sent you.
Enter your complaint reference number, Adavit password, and
your email address.
Print or save your Identy The Adavit.
THEN
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Update your les.
Record the dates you led your complaint.
Keep copies of your Adavit in your les.
If necessary, call the
FTC to update your
complaint.
1‑877‑438‑4338
1-866-653-4261 (TTY)
Be ready to provide your complaint reference number.
ONLINEBY PHONE
11
HOW TO FILE A POLICE REPORT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Go to your local police
department or the police
department where the
the occurred.
Bring:
• a copy of your FTC Identy The Adavit
• any other proof of the the
• a government-issued ID with a photo
• Proof of your address (rental agreement, pay stub or ulies bill)
• FTC’s Memo to Law Enforcment (See page D-1.) The memo
explains to police how Identy The Reports are important to
vicms.
Complete a report about the the.
Ask to have a copy, or the number, of the report.
In some states, police must take your report. Visit www.naag.org to see
what your state law requires.
If the police won’t take a report about the identy the, ask if you
can le a “miscellaneous incidents” report, or go to a dierent police
staon, or the sheri’s department, state police or federal authority.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or visits.
Record your police report number.
Keep a copy of your police report in your les.
HOW TO CREATE YOUR IDENTITY THEFT REPORT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Aach your FTC Identy
The Adavit to your
police report.
Keep a complete copy in your les.
12
Consider Placing an Extended Fraud Alert
If you are a vicm of identy the and have created an Identy The Report, you can place an extended fraud
alert on your credit le. It stays in eect for 7 years. When you place an extended alert:
• you can get 2 free credit reports within 12 months from each of the 3 naonwide credit reporng
companies
• the credit reporng companies must take your name o markeng lists for prescreened credit oers for 5
years, unless you ask them to put your name back on the list
HOW TO PLACE AN EXTENDED FRAUD ALERT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact each credit
reporng company.
See contact info on
inside back cover.
Ask the company to place an extended fraud alert on your credit le.
The company may have you complete a request form.
Include a copy of your Identy The Report when you submit the
form and your leer.
Placing an extended fraud alert is free.
Mark your calendar.
The extended alert stays in eect for 7 years.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
13
NEXT STEPS
Review Your Credit Reports
If you know an identy thief tampered with some of your accounts, you may have contacted the related
businesses already. Aer you get your credit reports, read them to see whether other fraudulent transacons
or accounts are listed.
Your credit report is full of informaon about where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been
sued or arrested, or have led for bankruptcy. The informaon in your credit report is used to evaluate your
applicaons for credit, insurance, employment, and renng a home, so it’s important that the informaon is
accurate and up-to-date. Check all key informaon, including your:
• name
• address
• Social Security number
• employers
If you see errors on the report, like accounts you didn’t open or debts you didn’t incur, contact the credit
reporng companies and the fraud department of each business that reported an error.
Dispute Errors with Credit Reporting
Companies
If you nd mistakes when you review your credit reports, send leers explaining the mistakes to:
• the 3 naonwide credit reporng companies
• the fraud department of each business that reported a fraudulent transacon on your exisng accounts
• the fraud department of each business that reported a new account opened in your name by an identy
thief
If the errors result from identy the and you have an Identy The Report, ask the credit reporng
companies and business to block the disputed informaon from appearing on your credit reports. The credit
reporng companies must block transacons and accounts if you are an identy the vicm. Read about
blocking on page 17.
14
HOW TO DISPUTE ERRORS WITH CREDIT REPORTING COMPANIES
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Write to each credit
reporng company.
See contact info on
inside back cover.
See sample leer on
page C‑1.
Explain that you are an identy the vicm.
List the errors that you found.
Include copies of documents showing the errors.
Ask the credit reporng company to remove fraudulent informaon.
The credit reporng company must invesgate the items you send, and
forward that informaon to the business that reported the informaon
to the credit reporng company.
Receive response from
each credit reporng
company.
If your credit le changes because of the business’ invesgaon, the
credit reporng company must send you a leer with the results.
If the credit reporng company puts the informaon back in your le, it
must send you a leer telling what it did.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Aer the business gets noce from the credit reporng company, it has 30 days to invesgate and respond
to the credit reporng company. If the business nds an error, it must nofy the credit reporng company
so your credit le can be corrected. If your credit le changes because of the business’ invesgaon, the
credit reporng company must send you a leer with the results. The credit reporng company can’t add
the disputed informaon back into your le unless the business says the informaon is correct. If the credit
reporng company puts the informaon back in your le, it must send you a leer telling you that.
15
HOW TO DISPUTE FRAUDULENT CHARGES ON YOUR EXISTING
ACCOUNTS
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Change the passwords
or PINs for your
accounts.
See ps on creang a strong password on page 42.
Ask each business if it
will accept your Identy
The Report or if it uses
special dispute forms.
If you must use the business’ forms, ask for blank forms.
Write to the fraud
department of each
business.
Use the address they specify for disputes.
Explain that you are an identy the vicm.
List the errors you found.
Send copies of documents that show the error.
Ask the business to remove fraudulent informaon.
Include a copy of your Identy The Report (or the special dispute
forms if the business requires them).
Include a copy of your credit report. Black out any personal
informaon that does not pertain to your dispute.
See sample leer on page A‑1.
The business must review your leer, invesgate your complaint, and
tell you the results of their invesgaon. If the informaon is wrong,
the business must tell the credit reporng company.
Ask the business to
send you a leer
conrming that it
removed the fraudulent
informaon.
Keep the leer in case you see fraudulent informaon on your
statement later.
Update your les.
Record the dates that you changed passwords and PINs.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
16
HOW TO DISPUTE FRAUDULENT ACCOUNTS OPENED IN YOUR NAME
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the fraud
department of each
business where an
account was opened.
Explain that you are an identy the vicm.
Close the account.
Ask if the business will accept your Identy The Report or if it uses
special dispute forms. If you must use the business’ forms, ask for
blank forms.
Send a copy of your
Identy The Report or
the business’ dispute
forms.
See sample leer on page B‑1.
Ask the business to send you a leer conrming that:
• the fraudulent account isn’t yours
• you aren’t liable for it
• it was removed from your credit report
Keep the leer and use it if you see this account on your credit report
in the future.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
17
Blocking: Report Errors to the Credit
Reporting Companies
By law, credit reporng companies must block identy the-related informaon from appearing on a vicm’s
credit report. They must block unauthorized transacons, accounts, and inquiries. To get unauthorized
informaon blocked, you must give informaon to the credit reporng companies.
HOW TO ASK CREDIT REPORTING COMPANIES TO BLOCK INFORMATION
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Write to each credit
reporng company.
See contact info on
inside back cover.
Send a copy of your Identy The Report.
Include proof of your identy including your name, address, and
Social Security number.
Explain which informaon on your report resulted from identy the
and that the informaon didn’t come from a transacon you made or
approved.
Ask the company to block the fraudulent informaon.
You can get sample leers at www.c.gov/idthe.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
If the credit reporng company accepts your Identy The Report, it must block the fraudulent informaon
from your credit report within 4 business days aer accepng your Report, and tell the business that sent the
fraudulent informaon about the block.
If the credit reporng company rejects your Identy The Report, it can take 5 days to ask you for more
proof of the identy the. It has 15 more days to work with you to get the informaon, and 5 days to review
informaon you sent. It may reject any informaon you send aer 15 days. It must tell you if it won’t block
informaon. You can re-submit the Report.
Aer a business has been noed about a block of fraudulent informaon, it must:
• stop reporng that informaon to all the credit reporng companies.
• not sell or transfer a debt for collecon.
18
Blocking: Report Errors to Businesses
Contact the business that sent the inaccurate informaon that appears on your credit report. Send a copy of
your Identy The Report and a leer explaining what is inaccurate. Aer the business gets your Report, it
must stop reporng the inaccurate informaon to the 3 naonwide credit reporng companies. However, the
business sll can try to collect a debt, and sell or transfer the debt to a collecon company.
To prevent a business from collecng, selling or transferring a debt to a collecon agency, you must contact the
credit reporng companies and ask them to block fraudulent informaon. To do this, follow the steps on page
17, How to Ask Credit Reporng Companies to Block Informaon.
HOW TO ASK A BUSINESS TO BLOCK INFORMATION
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Write to the business
that has records of the
fraudulent transacons.
Include a copy of your Identy The Report.
Include proof of your identy, including your name, address, and
Social Security number.
Include a copy of your credit report.
Explain which informaon on the credit report resulted from identy
the, and that it didn’t come from a transacon you made or
approved.
The business must stop reporng the inaccurate informaon to the
3 naonwide credit reporng companies. The business can connue
to try to collect the debt, and sell or transfer the debt to a collecon
company.
To prevent a business from collecng, selling or transferring a debt,
follow the steps on page 17.
You can get sample leers at www.c.gov/idthe.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
19
Get Copies of Documents the Identity Thief
Used
Ask for copies of any documents the identy thief used to open a new account or make charges in your name.
These documents can help prove the identy the.
HOW TO GET COPIES OF DOCUMENTS THE IDENTITY THIEF USED
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the business
that has records of
transacons the identy
thief made.
OR
Give wrien permission
to a law enforcement
ocer to contact the
company on your
behalf.
Ask for copies of documents the thief used to open new accounts or
charge purchases in your name.
Send details about where or when the fraudulent transacons took
place.
Include a copy of your Identy The Report or the proof the business
requires, and proof of your identy.
The business must send you free copies of the records within 30 days
of geng your request. For example, if you dispute a debt on a credit
card account you did not open, ask for a copy of the applicaon and
applicant’s signature.
You can get sample leers at www.c.gov/idthe.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
20
ATM and Debit Cards
As an identy the vicm, you have protecons under federal law for ATM or debit card transacons. Federal
law also limits your liability for the unauthorized electronic transfer of funds that result from identy the.
It’s best to act as soon as you discover a withdrawal or purchase you didn’t make or authorize. Many card
issuers have voluntarily agreed that an account holder will not owe more than $50 for transacons made
with a lost or stolen ATM or debit card. However, under the law, the amount you can lose depends on how
quickly you report the loss. If you don’t report within 60 days of the day your instuon sent you the account
statement showing the unauthorized withdrawals, you could lose all the money an identy thief took from
your account.
HOW TO REPORT FRAUDULENT TRANSACTIONS
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact your ATM or
debit card issuer.
Report the fraudulent transacon.
Act as soon as you discover a withdrawal or purchase you didn’t make.
Write a follow up leer
to conrm that you
reported the problem.
Keep a copy of your leer.
Send it by cered mail and ask for a return receipt.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Limit Your Loss
HOW QUICKLY YOU REPORT YOUR MAXIMUM LOSS
Before any unauthorized charges are made. $0
Within 2 business days aer you learn about
the loss or the.
$50
More than 2 business days aer you learn
about the loss or the, but within 60 calendar
days aer your statement is sent to you.
$500
More than 60 calendar days aer your
statement is sent to you.
All the money taken from your ATM/debit card
account, and possibly more; for example, money
in accounts linked to your debit card account.
In most cases, the nancial instuon has 10 business days to invesgate your report of a fraudulent
transacon. It must tell you the results within 3 days of nishing the invesgaon and x an error within 1
business day of nding it. In some cases, it can take 45 days to nish the invesgaon.
21
Checking Accounts
An identy thief may steal your paper checks, misuse the account number from the boom of your checks, or
open a new account in your name. If this happens, contact your bank or nancial instuon and ask them to
close the account as soon as possible.
Federal law doesn’t limit your loss if a thief forges your signature on your checks or uses your account
number to buy something by phone, but most states hold banks responsible for losses from those fraudulent
transacons. However, banks expect their customers to take reasonable care of their accounts. That means
you might be responsible for a loss if you know about a problem but don’t report it to your bank quickly.
HOW TO REPORT STOLEN CHECKS
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact your
nancial
instuon.
Ask it to stop payment on stolen checks and close your account.
Ask it to report the the to its check vericaon system.
The check vericaon system will tell businesses to refuse the stolen
checks.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
OR
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact check
vericaon
companies.
Report that your checks were stolen.
Ask them to tell businesses to refuse the stolen checks.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
TeleCheck
1‑800‑710‑9898
Certegy, Inc.
1‑800‑437‑5120
22
HOW TO REPORT CHECKING ACCOUNTS OPENED IN YOUR NAME
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact ChexSystems,
Inc., to request a free
ChexSystems report.
Order a free copy of the ChexSystems report that lists checking
accounts opened in your name.
Contact every nancial
instuon where a new
account was opened.
Ask the nancial instuon to close the account.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
WHAT IF A BUSINESS REJECTS YOUR CHECK?
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Ask the business for an
explanaon.
The business must tell you what informaon it used to decide to reject
the check.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
WHAT IF A THIEF PASSES BAD CHECKS IN YOUR NAME?
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the business
that took the bad
check.
Explain that you are a vicm of identy the before they start
collecon acon against you.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
ChexSystems, Inc.
www.consumerdebit.com
1‑800‑428‑9623
23
Credit Cards
Your liability for credit card charges that you didn’t authorize is limited to $50 per card. To dispute fraudulent
charges, contact the credit card issuer within 60 days of the day the credit card issuer sends you the bill
showing the fraudulent charges.
What if an identy thief changed the address on your account and you don’t get your statement? You are
responsible for keeping track of your statements. If your statement doesn’t arrive on me, contact your credit
card company.
HOW TO DISPUTE FRAUDULENT CHARGES ON YOUR CREDIT CARD
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Write to your credit
card issuer.
Write within 60 days of the day the credit card issuer sent you the bill
showing the fraudulent charges.
Write to the address specied for billing inquiries, not the payment
address.
Idenfy the amount and date of the billing error.
Include your name, address, account number, and a copy of your
Identy The Report or other proof of identy the.
Send the leer by cered mail and ask for a return receipt.
See sample leer on
page A‑1.
Within 30 days of geng your complaint, the credit card company
must send you a leer acknowledging it, unless your complaint has
been resolved. The company must resolve the dispute within 2 billing
cycles, or in less than 90 days aer geng your complaint.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Get Help from Bank or Financial Institution Regulators
If you are working with a bank or nancial instuon to resolve identy the-related problems and need
help, contact the agency that oversees the bank or nancial instuon.
Visit www.ec.gov/consumercenter to nd out which agency to contact.
24
Bankruptcy Filed in Your Name
If you believe someone led for bankruptcy in your name, contact the U.S. Trustee in the region where the
bankruptcy was led. The U.S. Trustee Program refers cases of suspected bankruptcy fraud to the United States
Aorneys for possible invesgaon and prosecuon. The U.S. Trustee can’t provide you with legal help, so you
may need to hire an aorney.
HOW TO REPORT BANKRUPTCY FILED IN YOUR NAME
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Write to the U.S.
Trustee in the region
where the bankruptcy
was led.
Find regional oces at www.usdoj.gov/ust or in the Blue Pages of the
phone book under U.S. Government Bankruptcy Administraon.
Describe the situaon and provide proof of your identy.
Consider hiring an
aorney.
An aorney can explain to the court that the bankruptcy ling was
fraudulent.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Investment Accounts
If an identy thief has tampered with your investments or brokerage accounts, contact your broker, account
manager, and the U.S. Securies and Exchange Commission (SEC).
HOW TO DEAL WITH AFFECTED INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Call your broker or
account manager.
Describe the situaon.
File a complaint with
the SEC.
www.sec.gov/complaint.shtml
or write to:
SEC Oce of Investor Educaon and Advocacy
100 F Street, NE
Washington, DC 20549
Call the SEC for general
informaon.
1‑800‑732‑0330
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
25
Debt Collectors
A debt collector may contact you if an identy thief opens accounts in your name but doesn’t pay the bills. To
stop contact and collecon acon, contact the debt collector, the business that opened the fraudulent account,
and the credit reporng companies.
HOW TO DISPUTE A DEBT WITH A DEBT COLLECTOR
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Write to the debt
collector within 30 days
aer you get wrien
noce of the debt.
Tell the debt collector you are a vicm of identy the and don’t owe
the debt.
Send copies of your police report, Identy The Report, or other
documents that detail the identy the.
The collector must suspend collecon eorts unl it sends you wrien
vericaon of the debt. If the collector works for another company, it
must tell the other company you are an identy the vicm.
See How to Permanently Stop Calls and Leers from a Debt Collector on
page 26.
Contact the business
where the fraudulent
account was opened.
Explain that this is not your debt.
Ask for informaon about the transacons that created the debt.
The business must give you details about the transacon if you ask.
For example, if you dispute a debt on a credit card account you did not
open, ask for a copy of the applicaon and applicant’s signature.
Contact the 3
naonwide credit
reporng companies.
Take steps to have fraudulent informaon blocked from your credit
report and to stop a business from selling or transferring a debt for
collecon.
Follow the steps on page 17, How to Ask Credit Reporng Companies
to Block Informaon.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
HOW TO STOP A DEBT COLLECTOR FROM SELLING OR TRANSFERRING
A DEBT
Follow the steps on page 17, How to Ask Credit Reporng Companies to Block Informaon.
Aer each credit reporng company accepts your Identy The Report, it must tell the debt collector that the
debt may be caused by identy the. Then, the debt collector can’t sell or transfer the debt or report it to a
credit reporng company.
26
HOW TO PERMANENTLY STOP CALLS AND LETTERS FROM A
DEBT COLLECTOR
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Write a leer to the
debt collector.
Tell them to stop contacng you about the debt.
Aer the debt collector gets the leer, it can’t contact you again,
except once – to say it won’t contact you again, or that it plans to take
specic acon. Sending this leer should stop calls and leers from the
collector, but it doesn’t prevent the debt collector from suing you to
collect the debt.
To stop collecon acon, follow the steps on page 17.
You can get sample leers at www.c.gov/idthe.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Government-Issued Identification
If your government-issued idencaon – for example your driver’s license, passport, or Medicare card – has
been lost, stolen, or fraudulently misused, contact the agency that issued the idencaon.
HOW TO REPORT A LOST, STOLEN OR MISSING DRIVER’S LICENSE
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the
Department of Motor
Vehicles in your state.
Cancel the lost or stolen item and get a replacement.
Ask the agency to put a note in your le so no one else can get a
license or ID in your name.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
HOW TO REPORT A LOST, STOLEN OR MISSING PASSPORT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the U.S.
Department of State.
www.travel.state.gov/passport
OR
Find a local Department of State oce online or in the Blue Pages of
the phone book.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
27
Mail Theft
Somemes an identy thief steals mail and uses it to get your personal and nancial informaon, open new
accounts, or commit tax fraud. The U.S. Postal Inspecon Service, which invesgates cases of identy the,
wants you to contact them and make a report.
HOW TO REPORT MAIL THEFT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the U.S. Postal
Inspecon Service
oce near your home.
Find the nearest oce at hps://postalinspectors.uspis.gov
OR
Go to your local post oce to nd the address.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Utilities
An identy thief may use your personal and nancial informaon to get telephone, cable, electric, water, or
other services. Report fraudulent accounts to the service provider as soon as you discover them.
HOW TO REPORT FRAUDULENT UTILITY CHARGES AND ACCOUNTS
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the ulity or
service provider.
Close the account that the identy thief opened.
Contact your
state Public Ulity
Commission for
addional help.
Search online at www.naruc.org/commissions or check the Blue Pages
of your phone book.
Contact the Federal
Communicaons
Commission for help
with cell phone or
telephone services.
1‑888‑225‑5322
1-888-835-5322 (TTY)
Consumer & Governmental Aairs Bureau
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554
www.fcc.gov/cgb
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
28
Student Loans
An identy thief may use your personal or nancial informaon to get a student loan. Contact the school or
program that opened the loan and ask them to close the loan.
HOW TO REPORT FRAUDULENT STUDENT LOANS
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the U.S.
Department of
Educaon.
www.ed.gov/about/oces/list/oig/hotline.html
1‑800‑647‑8733
U.S. Department of Educaon
Oce of the Inspector General
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Misuse of Social Security Number
An identy thief may steal your Social Security number and sell it, or use the number to get a job or other
benets. Contact the Social Security Administraon when you discover any misuse of your Social Security
number.
HOW TO REPORT MISUSE OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the Social
Security Administraon.
1‑800‑772‑1213
OR
Visit your local Social Security Administraon Oce.
www.socialsecurity.gov
Click on Locate A Social Security Oce
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
29
Income Taxes
If someone uses your Social Security number to get a job, the employer will report the person’s earnings to
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). When you le your tax return, you won’t include those earnings. But, IRS
records will show you failed to report all your income, and you can expect to get a leer from the IRS.
If someone uses your Social Security number and les a tax return in your name before you le, they may get
your refund. When you le your own return later, IRS records will show the rst ling and refund, and you’ll get
a leer from the IRS.
If you think someone has misused your Social Security number to get a job or tax refund – or the IRS sends
you a noce indicang a problem – contact the IRS immediately. Specialists will work with you to protect your
account.
HOW TO REPORT INCOME TAX FRAUD
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the Internal
Revenue Service.
IRS Identy Protecon Specialized Unit
1‑800‑908‑4490
www.irs.gov/identythe
Report the fraud and ask for the IRS ID The Adavit Form 14039.
Send a copy of your police report or an IRS Identy The Adavit
Form 14039 and proof of your identy, such as a copy of your Social
Security card, driver’s license or passport.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
30
Medical Identity Theft
If an identy thief gets medical treatment using your name, the thief’s medical informaon – for example,
blood type, test results, allergies, or illnesses – can get into your medical le. Informaon about the thief can
be added to your medical, health insurance, and payment records.
If you suspect an identy thief has used your medical informaon, get copies of your medical records. Under
federal law, you have a right to know what’s in your medical les. Contact each doctor, clinic, hospital,
pharmacy, laboratory, health plan, and anywhere you believe the thief has used your informaon. For example,
if a thief got a prescripon in your name, ask for the record from the pharmacy that lled the prescripon and
the health care provider who wrote the prescripon. You may need to pay a fee to get copies of your records.
A provider might refuse to give you copies of your medical or billing records because it thinks that would
violate the identy thief’s privacy rights. A provider who thinks that is mistaken: you have the right to know
what’s in your le. If a provider denies your request, you have a right to appeal. Contact the person the
provider lists in its Noce of Privacy Pracces, the paent representave, or the ombudsman. Explain the
situaon and ask for your le. If the provider refuses to provide your records within 30 days of your wrien
request, you may complain to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Oce for Civil Rights at
www.hhs.gov/ocr.
The medical provider or oce that created the informaon must change any inaccurate or incomplete
informaon in your les. They also should tell labs, other health care providers, and anyone else that might
have goen incorrect informaon. If an invesgaon doesn’t resolve your dispute, ask that a statement of the
dispute be included in your record.
If a debt collector contacts you about a medical bill incurred by an identy thief, read more about dealing with
debt collectors on page 25.
31
HOW TO CORRECT ERRORS IN YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact each health
care provider and
ask for copies of your
medical records.
Check your state’s health privacy laws. Some state laws make it easier
to get copies of your medical records.
Visit www.hpi.georgetown.edu/privacy/records.html to review your
state law rights.
Complete the request form and pay any fees required to get copies of
your records.
If your provider refuses to give you copies of your records because it
thinks that would violate the identy thief’s privacy rights, you can
appeal. Contact the person the provider lists in its Noce of Privacy
Pracces, the paent representave, or the ombudsman. Explain the
situaon and ask for your le.
If the provider refuses to provide your records within 30 days of your
wrien request, you may complain to the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services Oce for Civil Rights at www.hhs.gov/ocr.
Review your medical
records and report any
errors to your health
care provider.
Write to your health care provider to report mistakes in your medical
records.
Include a copy of the medical record showing the mistake.
Explain why this is a mistake and how to correct it.
Include a copy of your police report or Identy The Report.
Send the leer by cered mail and ask for a return receipt.
Your health care provider should respond to your leer within 30 days.
It must x the mistake and nofy other health care providers who may
have the same mistake in their records.
Nofy your health
insurer and all 3 credit
reporng companies.
Send copies of your police report or Identy The Report to your
health insurer’s fraud department and the 3 naonwide credit
reporng companies.
See contact info on inside back cover.
Order copies of your
credit reports if you
haven’t already.
See page 8. Check to see if there are debts caused by an identy
thief.
Consider placing a fraud
alert or security freeze
on your credit les.
See page 6.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
32
Child Identity Theft
Child identy the happens when someone uses a child’s personal informaon to commit fraud. A thief may
steal and use a child’s informaon to get a job, government benets, medical care, ulies, car loans, or even a
mortgage. Avoiding, discovering, and recovering from child identy the involves some unique challenges.
Parents and guardians don’t expect a minor child to have a credit le and rarely request or review their child’s
credit report. A thief who steals a child’s informaon may use it for many years before the crime is discovered.
The vicm may learn about the the years later, when applying for a job, loan, or apartment, or when a
business reviews the credit le and nds fraudulent accounts.
A parent or guardian can check whether a minor child has a credit report if they think the child’s informaon
is at risk, say if the child’s Social Security card was lost, a school or business leaked the child’s personal
informaon to the public, or bill collectors or government agencies contact the child about accounts the
child didn’t open. To get a minor child’s credit report, a parent or guardian must contact the credit reporng
companies and provide proof of identy and other documents.
HOW TO FIND OUT IF A CHILD HAS A CREDIT REPORT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact each of the
3 naonwide credit
reporng companies.
Email TransUnion: childidthe@transunion.com.
Call Experian (1-888-397-3742) and Equifax (1-800-525-6285).
Ask for a manual search of the child’s le.
The companies will check for les relang to the child’s name and Social
Security number, and for les related only to the child’s Social Security
number.
The credit reporng companies may require copies of:
• the child’s birth cercate lisng parents
• the child’s Social Security card
• the parent or guardian’s government-issued idencaon card, like
a driver’s license or military idencaon, or copies of documents
proving the adult is the child’s legal guardian
• proof of address, like a ulity bill, or credit card or insurance
statement
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
33
If you nd out that someone has misused your child’s personal informaon, follow these steps:
HOW TO HELP A CHILD VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact each of the
3 naonwide credit
reporng companies.
Send a leer asking the companies to remove all accounts, inquires
and collecon noces associated with the child’s name or personal
informaon.
Explain that the child is a minor and include a copy of the Uniform
Minor’s Status Declaraon.
See form on page I‑1.
Place a fraud alert.
See how to place a fraud alert on page 6.
Learn about your rights.
The credit reporng company will explain that you can get a free credit
report, and other rights you have.
Consider requesng a
credit freeze.
See how to request a credit freeze on page 7.
The credit reporng companies may ask for proof of the child’s and
parent’s identy.
Order the child’s credit
report.
See how to order your free credit reports on page 8.
Contact businesses
where the child’s
informaon was misused.
See how to contact businesses on page 8.
Create an Identy The
Report.
See how to create an Identy The Report on page 9.
Read Next Steps.
See next steps on page 13.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
34
Criminal Violations
If an identy thief uses your name, date of birth, Social Security number, or other personal informaon during
an invesgaon or arrest, the informaon will be added to your state’s criminal database. The informaon also
may be added to a naonal criminal database.
If you learn who the thief is, ask the criminal records database manager(s) to change the “key name” in the
database. That way, the records will show the thief’s name instead of yours. Contact the agency that made the
arrest, the court that convicted the identy thief, and your state Aorney General’s oce to get documents
that will help you show your innocence.
HOW TO CLEAR YOUR NAME OF CRIMINAL CHARGES
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the law
enforcement agency
that arrested the thief.
File a report about the impersonaon.
Give copies of your ngerprints, photograph, and idenfying
documents.
Ask the law enforcement agency to:
• compare your informaon to the imposter’s
• change all records from your name to the imposter’s name
• give you a “clearance leer” or “cercate of release” to declare
your innocence
Keep the clearance
leer or “cercate of
release” with you at all
mes.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
35
WHAT TO DO IF A COURT PROSECUTED A CASE AGAINST A THIEF WHO
USED YOUR NAME
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact the court
where the arrest or
convicon happened.
Ask the district aorney for records to help you clear your name in
court records.
Provide proof of your identy.
Ask the court for a “cercate of clearance” that declares you are
innocent.
Keep the “cercate of
clearance” with you at
all mes.
Contact your state
Aorney General.
Find your state Aorney General’s oce at www.naag.org.
Ask if your state has an “identy the passport” or some kind of
special help for identy the vicms.
If you obtain an identy
the passport, keep it
with you at all mes.
Consider hiring a
criminal defense lawyer.
Your state Bar Associaon or Legal Services provider can help you nd a
lawyer. See contact info on inside back cover.
Contact informaon
brokers.
Informaon brokers buy criminal records and create criminal records
les to sell to employers and debt collectors.
Ask the law enforcement agency that arrested the thief for the
names of informaon brokers who buy their records.
Write to the brokers and ask them to remove errors from your le.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
36
37
REDUCE YOUR RISK
Review Your Credit Reports
You have the right to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the 3 naonwide
credit reporng companies. Your credit report may show the rst signs that someone has misused your
informaon, so it’s important to check your report a few mes a year. Ordering 1 free report every 4 months
lets you monitor your le and spot errors early.
You can get your free credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. You must
give your name, address, Social Security number, date of birth, and the answers to quesons that only you
would know – for example, “How much is your monthly mortgage payment?” Each credit reporng company
may ask you for dierent informaon. Use the form on page G1 to request your annual credit report by mail.
For more informaon, visit www.c.gov/idthe.
You also are entled to a free copy of your credit report if:
• a company takes an adverse acon against you, like denying your applicaon for credit, insurance, or
employment. You must ask for your report within 60 days of receiving noce of the adverse acon. The
noce will give you the name, address, and phone number of the credit reporng company to contact.
• you are unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days
• you are on public assistance
• your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identy the
Otherwise, a credit reporng company may charge you a fee for an addional copy of your report within a
12-month period. To buy a copy of your report, contact:
Equifax
1-800-685-1111
www.equifax.com
Experian
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com
TransUnion
1-800-916-8800
www.transunion.com
38
Read Your Account and Billing Statements
• Look for charges you didn’t make.
• Be alert for bills that don’t arrive when you expect them.
• Follow up if you get credit card or account statements you don’t expect.
Correct any errors as soon as possible.
Review Your Explanation of Medical Benefits
Call your medical insurer and health care provider if you see items that surprise you in your Explanaon of
Medical Benets.
Respond Quickly to Notices from the Internal
Revenue Service
If you get a noce from the IRS that suggests someone misused your Social Security number, respond quickly
to the address included with the noce. The noce may say that you didn’t pay taxes on a job you know
you never held, or that your Social Security number was used on another return. Remember that the IRS
never makes rst contact with taxpayers by email, and doesn’t ask for personal informaon through email. If
you get email that claims to be from the IRS, call the IRS before you respond. Call 1-800-829-1040 for more
informaon.
If you nd out that an identy thief has used your Social Security number on a tax return, call the IRS’s
Specialized Identy The Protecon Unit at 1-800-908-4490.
Identity Theft Protection Services
Should you pay a company to monitor your nancial accounts, credit reports, and personal
informaon? Many people nd it valuable and convenient to pay a company for monitoring services.
Other people choose to exercise their legal rights and protect their informaon for free. When you
understand your rights, it can be easier to decide if you want to use a commercial service.
Before you buy an identy the protecon or monitoring product or service, get the details. Know
exactly what you’re paying for, as well as the total cost of the service.
39
Active Duty Alerts for Military Personnel
Military personnel have addional protecons. If you’re deployed, you can place an acve duty alert on your
credit reports to help minimize the risk of identy the while you’re away. Acve duty alerts last for 1 year. If
your deployment lasts longer, renew the alert.
HOW TO REQUEST AN ACTIVE DUTY ALERT
STEP BY STEP: NOTES:
Contact 1 credit
reporng company.
Request an acve duty alert.
Provide proof of identy, like a government-issued identy card,
driver’s license, military idencaon, birth cercate, or passport.
The company you call must contact the others.
The credit reporng companies will take your name o their markeng
list for prescreened credit card oers for 2 years, unless you ask them
to add you back onto the list.
Mark your calendar.
Acve duty alerts last for 1 year. If your deployment lasts longer, renew
the alert.
Update your les.
Record the dates you made calls or sent leers.
Keep copies of leers in your les.
Equifax
1‑800‑525‑6285
Experian
1‑888‑397‑3742
TransUnion
1‑800‑680‑7289
40
Protect Your Personal Information
Keep your important papers secure
• Lock them up. Lock your nancial documents and records in a safe place at home, and lock your wallet or
purse in a safe place at work. Keep your informaon secure from roommates or workers who come into
your home.
• Limit what you carry. When you go out, take only the idencaon, credit, and debit cards you need.
Leave your Social Security and Medicare cards at home or in a secure place.
• Pick up your new checks at the bank. When you order new checks, don’t have them mailed to your
home, unless you have a secure mailbox with a lock.
• Be careful with your mail. Take outgoing mail to post oce collecon boxes or the post oce. Promptly
remove mail that arrives in your mailbox. If you will be away from home for several days, request a
vacaon hold on your mail:
• go to your local post oce,
• visit www.usps.com/holdmail, or
• call the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777
• Shred sensive documents. Shred receipts, credit oers, credit applicaons, insurance forms, physician
statements, checks, bank statements, expired charge cards, and similar documents before you put them
in your trash.
• Consider opng out of prescreened oers of credit and insurance by mail. You can opt out for 5 years
or permanently. To opt out for 5 years, call 1-888-567-8688 or go to www.optoutprescreen.com. The 3
naonwide credit reporng companies operate the phone number and website.
• Protect your medical informaon. Destroy the labels on prescripon boles before you throw them out.
Don’t share your health plan informaon with anyone who oers free health services or products.
• Exercise your curiosity. Before you share informaon at your workplace, a business, your child’s school,
or a doctor’s oce, ask who will have access to your informaon, how it will be handled, and how it will
be disposed of.
41
Secure your Social Security Number
• Protect it. Share your Social Security number, and your child’s, only when necessary. Ask if you can use a
dierent kind of idencaon.
• If someone asks you to share your Social Security number or your child’s, ask:
• why they need it
• how it will be used
• how they will protect it
• what happens if you don’t share the number
The decision to share is yours. A business may not provide you with a service or benet if you don’t
provide your number.
• Somemes you must share your number. Your employer and nancial instuons need your Social
Security number for wage and tax reporng purposes. A business may ask for your Social Security
number so they can check your credit when you apply for a loan, rent an apartment, or sign up for ulity
service.
Be alert to impersonators online
• Be sure you know who is geng your personal or nancial informaon online. If a company that claims
to have an account with you sends email asking for personal informaon, don’t click on links in the email.
Instead, type the company name into your web browser, go to their site, and contact them through
customer service. Or, call the customer service number listed on your account statement. Ask whether
the company really sent a request.
Protect your computer and mobile device
• Use an-virus soware, an-spyware soware, and a rewall. Set your preference to update these
protecons oen. Protect against intrusions and infecons that can compromise your computer les or
passwords by installing security patches for your operang system and other soware programs.
• Don’t open les, click on links, or download programs sent by strangers. Opening a le from someone
you don’t know could expose your system to a computer virus or spyware that captures your passwords
or other informaon you type.
• Safely dispose of personal informaon.
• Before you dispose of a computer, get rid of all the personal informaon it stores. Use a wipe ulity
program to overwrite the enre hard drive.
42
• Before you dispose of a mobile device:
• Check your owner’s manual, the service provider’s website, or the device manufacturer’s
website for informaon on how to delete informaon permanently, and how to save or
transfer informaon to a new device.
• Remove the memory or subscriber identy module (SIM) card from a mobile device. Remove
the phone book, lists of calls made and received, voicemails, messages sent and received,
organizer folders, web search history, and photos.
Protect your data and personal information
• Encrypt your data. Keep your browser secure. To guard your online transacons, use encrypon soware
that scrambles informaon you send over the internet. A “lock” icon on the status bar of your internet
browser means your informaon will be safe when it’s transmied. Look for the lock before you send
personal or nancial informaon online.
• Be wise about Wi-Fi. Before you send personal informaon over your laptop or smartphone on a public
wireless network in a coee shop, library, airport, hotel, or other public place, see if your informaon will
be protected. If you use an encrypted website, it protects only the informaon you send to and from that
site. If you use a secure wireless network, all the informaon you send on that network is protected.
• Keep passwords private. Use strong passwords with your laptop, credit, bank and other accounts. The
longer the password, the harder it is to crack. Create passwords that mix leers, numbers, and special
characters. Don’t use the same password for many accounts. If it’s stolen from you – or from one of the
companies with which you do business – it can be used to take over all your accounts.
• Don’t overshare on social networking sites. If you post too much informaon about yourself, an identy
thief can nd informaon about your life, use it to answer ‘challenge’ quesons on your accounts, and
get access to your money and personal informaon. Consider liming access to your networking page to
a small group of people. Never post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or
account numbers in publicly accessible sites.
• Lock up your laptop. Keep nancial informaon on your laptop only when necessary. Don’t use an
automac login feature that saves your user name and password, and always log o when you’re
nished. That way, if your laptop is stolen, it will be harder for a thief to get at your personal informaon.
• Read privacy policies. Yes, they can be long and complex, but they tell you how the site maintains
accuracy, access, security, and control of the personal informaon it collects; how it uses the informaon,
and whether it provides informaon to third pares. If you don’t see or understand a site’s privacy policy,
consider doing business elsewhere.
43
SAMPLE LETTERS AND FORMS
Sample Letters
Dispute Letter for Existing Accounts A-1
Dispute Letter for New Accounts B-1
Dispute Letter to Credit Reporting Company C-1
Memo from FTC to Law Enforcement D-1
Enclosures
Fair Credit Reporting Act Section 611 E-1
FTC Notice to Furnishers of Information F-1
Forms
Annual Credit Report Request G-1
FTC Identity Theft Affidavit H-1
Uniform Minor’s Status Declaration I-1
For more sample letters and forms, see www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
A-1
SAMPLE DISPUTE LETTER FOR EXISTING ACCOUNTS
[Date]
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, Zip Code]
[Name of Company]
[Fraud Department or Billing Inquiries]
[Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[RE: Your Account Number (if known)]
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am wring to dispute [a] fraudulent charge[s] on my account in the amount[s] of $_____, and posted on
[dates]. I am a vicm of identy the, and I did not make [this/these] charge[s]. I request that you remove the
fraudulent charge[s] and any related nance charge and other charges from my account, send me an updated
and accurate statement, and close the account (if applicable). I also request that you stop reporng this
inaccurate informaon and report the correct informaon to all of the naonwide credit reporng companies
(CRCs) to which you provided it.
Enclosed is a copy of my Identy The Report, credit report, and account statement showing the fraudulent
items related to your company that are the result of identy the. Also enclosed is a copy of the Noce to
Furnishers of Informaon issued by the Federal Trade Commission, which details your responsibilies under
the Fair Credit Reporng Act as an informaon furnisher to CRCs.
Please invesgate this maer and send me a wrien explanaon of your ndings and acons.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Enclosures:
• Identy The Report
• Proof of Identy
• FTC Noce to Furnishers of Informaon
• Copy of account statement showing fraudulent items
• Credit report of [Your Name] idenfying informaon to be corrected
B-1
SAMPLE DISPUTE LETTER FOR NEW ACCOUNTS
[Date]
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, Zip Code]
[Name of Company]
[Fraud Department or Billing Inquiries]
[Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[RE: Your Account Number (if known)]
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am a vicm of identy the. I recently learned that my personal informaon was used to open an account at
your company. I did not open or authorize this account, and I therefore request that it be closed immediately. I
also request that [Company Name] absolve me of all charges on the account, and that you take all appropriate
steps to remove informaon about this account from my credit les.
Enclosed is a copy of my Identy The Report, and a copy of my credit report showing the fraudulent items
related to your company that are the result of identy the. Also enclosed is a copy of the Federal Trade
Commission Noce to Furnishers of Informaon, which details your responsibilies as an informaon furnisher
to credit reporng companies (CRCs). As a furnisher, upon receipt of a consumer’s wrien request that
encloses an Identy The Report, you are required to cease furnishing the informaon resulng from identy
the to any credit reporng company.
The Noce also species your responsibilies when you receive noce from a CRC, under secon 605B of the
Fair Credit Reporng Act, that informaon you provided to the CRC may be the result of identy the. Those
responsibilies include ceasing to provide the inaccurate informaon to any CRC and ensuring that you do not
aempt to sell or transfer the fraudulent debts to another party for collecon.
Please invesgate this maer, close the account and absolve me of all charges, take the steps required under
the Fair Credit Reporng Act, and send me a leer explaining your ndings and acons.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Enclosures:
• Identy The Report
• FTC Noce to Furnishers of Informaon
• Credit report of [Your Name] idenfying informaon to be corrected
C-1
SAMPLE DISPUTE LETTER TO CREDIT REPORTING COMPANY
[Date]
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, Zip Code]
[Credit Reporng Company Name and Address]
Write a separate leer to each of the 3 companies.
See contact info on inside back cover.
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am a vicm of identy the and I write to dispute certain informaon in my le resulng from the crime.
I have circled the items I dispute on the aached copy of my credit report. The items I am dispung do not
relate to any transacons that I made or authorized. Please remove or correct this informaon at the earliest
possible me.
I dispute the [name of source, like “Company” or “Court”] [name of item, like “account” or “judgment”]
because [explain why the item is inaccurate]. As required by secon 611 of the Fair Credit Reporng Act, a
copy of which is enclosed, I am requesng that the item[s] be removed [or request another specic change] to
correct the informaon.
[If possible: I have enclosed copies of documents that support my dispute.]
Please invesgate and correct the disputed item[s] as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Enclosures:
• Identy The Report
• Credit report of [Your Name] idenfying informaon to be corrected
• FCRA Secon 611
D-1
MEMO FROM FTC TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
To: Law Enforcement Ocer
From: Division of Privacy and Identy Protecon
The Federal Trade Commission
Re: Importance of Identy The Report
The purpose of this memorandum is to explain what an “Identy The Report” is, and its importance to
identy the vicms in helping them to recover. A police report that contains specic details of an identy
the is considered an “Identy The Report” under secon 605B of the Fair Credit Reporng Act (FCRA), and it
entles an identy the vicm to certain important protecons that can help him or her recover more quickly
from identy the.
Specically, under secons 605B, 615(f) and 623(a)(6) of the FCRA, an Identy The Report can be used to
permanently block fraudulent informaon that results from identy the, such as accounts or addresses, from
appearing on a vicm’s credit report. It will also make sure these debts do not reappear on the credit reports.
Identy The Reports can prevent a company from connuing to collect debts that result from identy the,
or selling them to others for collecon. An Identy The Report is also needed to allow an identy the vicm
to place an extended fraud alert on his or her credit report.
In order for a police report to be incorporated in an Identy The Report, and therefore entle an identy
the vicm to the protecons discussed above, the police report must contain details about the accounts and
inaccurate informaon that resulted from the identy the. We advise vicms to bring a printed copy of their
ID The Complaint led with the FTC with them to the police staon in order to beer assist you in creang
a detailed police report so that these vicms can access the important protecons available to them if they
have an Identy The Report. The vicm should sign the ID The Complaint in your presence. If possible, you
should aach or incorporate the ID The Complaint into the police report, and sign the “Law Enforcement
Report Informaon” secon of the FTC’s ID The Complaint. In addion, please provide the identy the
vicm with a copy of the Identy The Report (the police report with the vicm’s ID The Complaint aached
or incorporated) to permit the vicm to dispute the fraudulent accounts and debts created by the identy
thief.
For addional informaon on Identy The Reports or identy the, please visit www.c.gov/idthe.
E-1
FCRA § 611 (15 U.S.C. § 1681I)
PROCEDURE IN CASE OF DISPUTED ACCURACY
(a) Reinvesgaons of Disputed Informaon
(1) Reinvesgaon Required
(A) In general. Subject to subsecon (f), if the completeness or accuracy of any item of informaon contained in a con-
sumer’s le at a consumer reporng agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer noes the agency directly,
or indirectly through a reseller, of such dispute, the agency shall, free of charge, conduct a reasonable reinvesgaon to
determine whether the disputed informaon is inaccurate and record the current status of the disputed informaon, or
delete the item from the le in accordance with paragraph (5), before the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date
on which the agency receives the noce of the dispute from the consumer or reseller.
(B) Extension of period to reinvesgate. Except as provided in subparagraph (C), the 30-day period described in subpara-
graph (A) may be extended for not more than 15 addional days if the consumer reporng agency receives informaon
from the consumer during that 30-day period that is relevant to the reinvesgaon.
(C) Limitaons on extension of period to reinvesgate. Subparagraph (B) shall not apply to any reinvesgaon in which,
during the 30-day period described in subparagraph (A), the informaon that is the subject of the reinvesgaon is found
to be inaccurate or incomplete or the consumer reporng agency determines that the informaon cannot be veried.
(2) Prompt Noce of Dispute to Furnisher of Informaon
(A) In general. Before the expiraon of the 5-business-day period beginning on the date on which a consumer reporng
agency receives noce of a dispute from any consumer or a reseller in accordance with paragraph (1), the agency shall pro-
vide nocaon of the dispute to any person who provided any item of informaon in dispute, at the address and in the
manner established with the person. The noce shall include all relevant informaon regarding the dispute that the agency
has received from the consumer or reseller.
(B) Provision of other informaon. The consumer reporng agency shall promptly provide to the person who provided the
informaon in dispute all relevant informaon regarding the dispute that is received by the agency from the consumer or
the reseller aer the period referred to in subparagraph (A) and before the end of the period referred to in paragraph (1)
(A).
(3) Determinaon That Dispute Is Frivolous or Irrelevant
(A) In general. Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a consumer reporng agency may terminate a reinvesgaon of informa-
on disputed by a consumer under that paragraph if the agency reasonably determines that the dispute by the consumer
is frivolous or irrelevant, including by reason of a failure by a consumer to provide sucient informaon to invesgate the
disputed informaon.
(B) Noce of determinaon. Upon making any determinaon in accordance with subparagraph (A) that a dispute is frivo-
lous or irrelevant, a consumer reporng agency shall nofy the consumer of such determinaon not later than 5 business
days aer making such determinaon, by mail or, if authorized by the consumer for that purpose, by any other means
available to the agency.
(C) Contents of noce. A noce under subparagraph (B) shall include
(i) the reasons for the determinaon under subparagraph (A); and
(ii) idencaon of any informaon required to invesgate the disputed informaon, which may consist of a stan-
dardized form describing the general nature of such informaon.
(4) Consideraon of consumer informaon. In conducng any reinvesgaon under paragraph (1) with respect to disputed
informaon in the le of any consumer, the consumer reporng agency shall review and consider all relevant informaon sub-
mied by the consumer in the period described in paragraph (1)(A) with respect to such disputed informaon.
E-2
FCRA § 611 (15 U.S.C. § 1681I)
PROCEDURE IN CASE OF DISPUTED ACCURACY (CONTINUED)
(5) Treatment of Inaccurate or Unveriable Informaon
(A) In general. If, aer any reinvesgaon under paragraph (1) of any informaon disputed by a consumer, an item of the
informaon is found to be inaccurate or incomplete or cannot be veried, the consumer reporng agency shall–
(i) promptly delete that item of informaon from the le of the consumer, or modify that item of informaon, as ap-
propriate, based on the results of the reinvesgaon; and
(ii) promptly nofy the furnisher of that informaon that the informaon has been modied or deleted from the le
of the consumer.
(B) Requirements Relang to Reinseron of Previously Deleted Material
(i) Cercaon of accuracy of informaon. If any informaon is deleted from a consumer’s le pursuant to subpara-
graph (A), the informaon may not be reinserted in the le by the consumer reporng agency
unless the person who furnishes the informaon ceres that the informaon is complete and accurate.
(ii) Noce to consumer. If any informaon that has been deleted from a consumer’s le pursuant to subparagraph
(A) is reinserted in the le, the consumer reporng agency shall nofy the consumer of the reinseron in wring
not later than 5 business days aer the reinseron or, if authorized by the consumer for that purpose, by any other
means available to the agency.
(iii) Addional informaon. As part of, or in addion to, the noce under clause (ii), a consumer reporng agency
shall provide to a consumer in wring not later than 5 business days aer the date of the reinseron
(I) a statement that the disputed informaon has been reinserted;
(II) the business name and address of any furnisher of informaon contacted and the telephone number of
such furnisher, if reasonably available, or of any furnisher of informaon that contacted the consumer reporng
agency, in connecon with the reinseron of such informaon; and
(III) a noce that the consumer has the right to add a statement to the consumer’s le dispung the accuracy or
completeness of the disputed informaon.
(C) Procedures to prevent reappearance. A consumer reporng agency shall maintain reasonable procedures designed to
prevent the reappearance in a consumer’s le, and in consumer reports on the consumer, of informaon that is deleted
pursuant to this paragraph (other than informaon that is reinserted in accordance with subparagraph (B)(i)).
(D) Automated reinvesgaon system. Any consumer reporng agency that compiles and maintains les on consumers on
a naonwide basis shall implement an automated system through which furnishers of informaon to that consumer re-
porng agency may report the results of a reinvesgaon that nds incomplete or inaccurate informaon in a consumer’s
le to other such consumer reporng agencies.
(6) Noce of Results of Reinvesgaon
(A) In general. A consumer reporng agency shall provide wrien noce to a consumer of the results of a reinvesgaon
under this subsecon not later than 5 business days aer the compleon of the reinvesgaon, by mail or, if authorized
by the consumer for that purpose, by other means available to the agency.
(B) Contents. As part of, or in addion to, the noce under subparagraph (A), a consumer reporng agency shall provide
to a consumer in wring before the expiraon of the 5-day period referred to in subparagraph (A)
(i) a statement that the reinvesgaon is completed;
(ii) a consumer report that is based upon the consumer’s le as that le is revised as a result of the reinvesgaon;
(iii) a noce that, if requested by the consumer, a descripon of the procedure used to determine the accuracy and
completeness of the informaon shall be provided to the consumer by the agency, including the business name and
E-3
FCRA § 611 (15 U.S.C. § 1681I)
PROCEDURE IN CASE OF DISPUTED ACCURACY (CONTINUED)
address of any furnisher of informaon contacted in connecon with such informaon and the telephone number of
such furnisher, if reasonably available;
(iv) a noce that the consumer has the right to add a statement to the consumer’s le dispung the accuracy or com-
pleteness of the informaon; and
(v) a noce that the consumer has the right to request under subsecon (d) that the consumer reporng agency
furnish nocaons under that subsecon.
(7) Descripon of reinvesgaon procedure. A consumer reporng agency shall provide to a consumer a descripon referred
to in paragraph (6)(B)(iii) by not later than 15 days aer receiving a request from the consumer for that descripon.
(8) Expedited dispute resoluon. If a dispute regarding an item of informaon in a consumer’s le at a consumer reporng
agency is resolved in accordance with paragraph (5)(A) by the deleon of the disputed informaon by not later than 3 busi-
ness days aer the date on which the agency receives noce of the dispute from the consumer in accordance with paragraph
(1)(A), then the agency shall not be required to comply with paragraphs (2), (6), and (7) with respect to that dispute if the
agency
(A) provides prompt noce of the deleon to the consumer by telephone;
(B) includes in that noce, or in a wrien noce that accompanies a conrmaon and consumer report provided in accor-
dance with subparagraph (C), a statement of the consumer’s right to request under subsecon (d) that the agency furnish
nocaons under that subsecon; and
(C) provides wrien conrmaon of the deleon and a copy of a consumer report on the consumer that is based on the
consumer’s le aer the deleon, not later than 5 business days aer making the deleon.
(b) Statement of dispute. If the reinvesgaon does not resolve the dispute, the consumer may le a brief statement seng forth the
nature of the dispute. The consumer reporng agency may limit such statements to not more than one hundred words if it provides
the consumer with assistance in wring a clear summary of the dispute.
(c) Nocaon of consumer dispute in subsequent consumer reports. Whenever a statement of a dispute is led, unless there is rea-
sonable grounds to believe that it is frivolous or irrelevant, the consumer reporng agency shall, in any subsequent report containing
the informaon in queson, clearly note that it is disputed by the consumer and provide either the consumer’s statement or a clear
and accurate codicaon or summary thereof.
(d) Nocaon of deleon of disputed informaon. Following any deleon of informaon which is found to be inaccurate or whose
accuracy can no longer be veried or any notaon as to disputed informaon, the consumer reporng agency shall, at the request
of the consumer, furnish nocaon that the item has been deleted or the statement, codicaon or summary pursuant to subsec-
on (b) or (c) of this secon to any person specically designated by the consumer who has within two years prior thereto received
a consumer report for employment purposes, or within six months prior thereto received a consumer report for any other purpose,
which contained the deleted or disputed informaon.
(e) Treatment of Complaints and Report to Congress
(1) In general. The Commission shall-
(A) compile all complaints that it receives that a le of a consumer that is maintained by a consumer reporng agency
described in secon 603(p) contains incomplete or inaccurate informaon, with respect to which, the consumer appears
to have disputed the completeness or accuracy with the consumer reporng agency or otherwise ulized the procedures
provided by subsecon (a); and
(B) transmit each such complaint to each consumer reporng agency involved.
(2) Exclusion. Complaints received or obtained by the Commission pursuant to its invesgave authority under the Federal
Trade Commission Act shall not be subject to paragraph (1).
E-4
FCRA § 611 (15 U.S.C. § 1681I)
PROCEDURE IN CASE OF DISPUTED ACCURACY (CONTINUED)
(3) Agency responsibilies. Each consumer reporng agency described in secon 603(p) that receives a complaint transmied
by the Commission pursuant to paragraph (1) shall-
(A) review each such complaint to determine whether all legal obligaons imposed on the consumer reporng agency un-
der this tle (including any obligaon imposed by an applicable court or administrave order) have been met with respect
to the subject maer of the complaint;
(B) provide reports on a regular basis to the Commission regarding the determinaons of and acons taken by the con-
sumer reporng agency, if any, in connecon with its review of such complaints; and
(C) maintain, for a reasonable me period, records regarding the disposion of each such complaint that is sucient to
demonstrate compliance with this subsecon.
(4) Rulemaking authority. The Commission may prescribe regulaons, as appropriate to implement this subsecon.
(5) Annual report. The Commission shall submit to the Commiee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Aairs of the Senate and
the Commiee on Financial Services of the House of Representaves an annual report regarding informaon gathered by the
Commission under this subsecon.’.
(f) Reinvesgaon Requirement Applicable to Resellers
(1) Exempon from general reinvesgaon requirement. Except as provided in paragraph (2), a reseller shall be exempt from
the requirements of this secon.
(2) Acon required upon receiving noce of a dispute. If a reseller receives a noce from a consumer of a dispute concerning
the completeness or accuracy of any item of informaon contained in a consumer report on such consumer produced by the
reseller, the reseller shall, within 5 business days of receiving the noce, and free of charge–
(A) determine whether the item of informaon is incomplete or inaccurate as a result of an act or omission of the reseller;
and
(B) if (i) the reseller determines that the item of informaon is incomplete or inaccurate as a result of an act or omission of
the reseller, not later than 20 days aer receiving the noce, correct the informaon in the consumer report or delete it; or
(ii) if the reseller determines that the item of informaon is not incomplete or inaccurate as a result of an act or omis-
sion of the reseller, convey the noce of the dispute, together with all relevant informaon provided by the consumer, to
each consumer reporng agency that provided the reseller with the informaon that is the subject of the dispute, using
an address or a nocaon mechanism specied by the consumer reporng agency for such noces.
(3) Responsibility of consumer reporng agency to nofy consumer through reseller. Upon the compleon of a reinvesga-
on under this secon of a dispute concerning the completeness or accuracy of any informaon in the le of a consumer by a
consumer reporng agency that received noce of the dispute from a reseller under paragraph (2)-
(A) the noce by the consumer reporng agency under paragraph (6), (7), or (8) of subsecon (a) shall be provided to the
reseller in lieu of the consumer; and
(B) the reseller shall immediately reconvey such noce to the consumer, including any noce of a deleon by telephone in
the manner required under paragraph (8)(A).
(4) Reseller reinvesgaons. No provision of this subsecon shall be construed as prohibing a reseller from conducng a
reinvesgaon of a consumer dispute directly.
F-1
All furnishers subject to the Federal Trade Commission’s jurisdicon must comply with all applicable regulaons, including regulaons
promulgated aer this noce was prescribed in 2004. Informaon about applicable regulaons currently in eect can be found at the
Commission’s Web site, www.c.gov/credit. Furnishers who are not subject to the Commission’s jurisdicon should consult with their
regulators to nd any relevant regulaons.
NOTICE TO FURNISHERS OF INFORMATION:
OBLIGATIONS OF FURNISHERS UNDER THE FCRA
The federal Fair Credit Reporng Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. 1681-1681y, imposes responsibilies on all persons who furnish informaon
to consumer reporng agencies (CRAs). These responsibilies are found in Secon 623 of the FCRA, 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2. State law may
impose addional requirements on furnishers. All furnishers of informaon to CRAs should become familiar with the applicable laws
and may want to consult with their counsel to ensure that they are in compliance. The text of the FCRA is set forth in full at the Web-
site of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): www.c.gov/credit. A list of the secons of the FCRA crossreferenced to the U.S. Code is
at the end of this document.
Secon 623 imposes the following dues upon furnishers:
ACCURACY GUIDELINES
The banking and credit union regulators and the FTC will promulgate guidelines and regulaons dealing with the accuracy of informa-
on provided to CRAs by furnishers. The regulaons and guidelines issued by the FTC will be available at www.c.gov/credit when
they are issued. Secon 623(e).
GENERAL PROHIBITION ON REPORTING INACCURATE INFORMATION
The FCRA prohibits informaon furnishers from providing informaon to a CRA that they know or have reasonable cause to believe
is inaccurate. However, the furnisher is not subject to this general prohibion if it clearly and conspicuously species an address to
which consumers may write to nofy the furnisher that certain informaon is inaccurate. Secons 623(a)(1)(A) and (a)(1)(C).
DUTY TO CORRECT AND UPDATE INFORMATION
If at any me a person who regularly and in the ordinary course of business furnishes informaon to one or more CRAs determines
that the informaon provided is not complete or accurate, the furnisher must promptly provide complete and accurate informa-
on to the CRA. In addion, the furnisher must nofy all CRAs that received the informaon of any correcons, and must thereaer
report only the complete and accurate informaon. Secon 623(a)(2).
DUTIES AFTER NOTICE OF DISPUTE FROM CONSUMER
If a consumer noes a furnisher, at an address specied for the furnisher for such noces, that specic informaon is inaccurate,
and the informaon is, in fact, inaccurate, the furnisher must thereaer report the correct informaon to CRAs. Secon 623(a)(1)(B).
If a consumer noes a furnisher that the consumer disputes the completeness or accuracy of any informaon reported by the fur-
nisher, the furnisher may not subsequently report that informaon to a CRA without providing noce of the dispute. Secon 623(a)
(3).
The federal banking and credit union regulators and the FTC will issue regulaons that will idenfy when an informaon furnisher
must invesgate a dispute made directly to the furnisher by a consumer. Once these regulaons are issued, furnishers must comply
with them and complete an invesgaon within 30 days (or 45 days, if the consumer later provides relevant addional informaon)
unless the dispute is frivolous or irrelevant or comes from a “credit repair organizaon.” The FTC regulaons will be available at www.
c.gov/credit. Secon 623(a)(8).
DUTIES AFTER NOTICE OF DISPUTE FROM CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY
If a CRA noes a furnisher that a consumer disputes the completeness or accuracy of informaon provided by the furnisher, the
furnisher has a duty to follow certain procedures. The furnisher must:
• Conduct an invesgaon and review all relevant informaon provided by the CRA, including informaon given to the CRA by the
consumer. Secons 623(b)(1)(A) and (b)(1)(B).
• Report the results to the CRA that referred the dispute, and, if the invesgaon establishes that the informaon was, in fact, in-
complete or inaccurate, report the results to all CRAs to which the furnisher provided the informaon that compile and maintain
les on a naonwide basis. Secon 623(b)(1)(C) and (b)(1)(D).
F-2
• Complete the above steps within 30 days from the date the CRA receives the dispute (or 45 days, if the consumer later provides
relevant addional informaon to the CRA). Secon 623(b)(2).
• Promptly modify or delete the informaon, or block its reporng. Secon 623(b)(1)(E).
DUTY TO REPORT VOLUNTARY CLOSING OF CREDIT ACCOUNTS
If a consumer voluntarily closes a credit account, any person who regularly and in the ordinary course of business furnishes informa-
on to one or more CRAs must report this fact when it provides informaon to CRAs for the me period in which the account was
closed. Secon 623(a)(4).
DUTY TO REPORT DATES OF DELINQUENCIES
If a furnisher reports informaon concerning a delinquent account placed for collecon, charged to prot or loss, or subject to any
similar acon, the furnisher must, within 90 days aer reporng the informaon, provide the CRA with the month and the year of
the commencement of the delinquency that immediately preceded the acon, so that the agency will know how long to keep the
informaon in the consumer’s le. Secon 623(a)(5).
Any person, such as a debt collector, that has acquired or is responsible for collecng delinquent accounts and that reports infor-
maon to CRAs may comply with the requirements of Secon 623(a)(5) (unl there is a consumer dispute) by reporng the same
delinquency date previously reported by the creditor. If the creditor did not report this date, they may comply with the FCRA by
establishing reasonable procedures to obtain and report delinquency dates, or, if a delinquency date cannot be reasonably obtained,
by following reasonable procedures to ensure that the date reported precedes the date when the account was placed for collecon,
charged to prot or loss, or subjected to any similar acon. Secon 623(a)(5).
DUTIES OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS WHEN REPORTING NEGATIVE INFORMATION
Financial instuons that furnish informaon to “naonwide” consumer reporng agencies, as dened in Secon 603(p), must nofy
consumers in wring if they may furnish or have furnished negave informaon to a CRA. Secon 623(a)(7). The Federal Reserve
Board has prescribed model disclosures, 12 CFR Part 222, App. B.
DUTIES WHEN FURNISHING MEDICAL INFORMATION
A furnisher whose primary business is providing medical services, products, or devices (and such furnisher’s agents or assignees) is a
medical informaon furnisher for the purposes of the FCRA and must nofy all CRAs to which it reports of this fact. Secon 623(a)(9).
This noce will enable CRAs to comply with their dues under Secon 604(g) when reporng medical informaon.
DUTIES WHEN ID THEFT OCCURS
All furnishers must have in place reasonable procedures to respond to nocaons from CRAs that informaon furnished is the
result of identy the, and to prevent refurnishing the informaon in the future. A furnisher may not furnish informaon that a
consumer has idened as resulng from identy the unless the furnisher subsequently knows or is informed by the consumer that
the informaon is correct. Secon 623(a)(6). If a furnisher learns that it has furnished inaccurate informaon due to identy the, it
must nofy each consumer reporng agency of the correct informaon and must thereaer report only complete and accurate in-
formaon. Secon 623(a)(2). When any furnisher of informaon is noed pursuant to the procedures set forth in Secon 605B that
a debt has resulted from identy the, the furnisher may not sell, transfer, or place for collecon the debt except in certain limited
circumstances. Secon 615(f).
The FTC’s Web site, www.c.gov/credit, has more informaon about the FCRA, including publicaons for businesses and the full text
of the FCRA.
You have the right to get a free copy of your credit file disclosure, commonly called a credit report, once every 12 months, from each of
the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies - Equi fax, Experian and TransUnion.
For instant access to your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com.
For more information on obtaining your free credi t report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228.
Use this form if you prefer to write to request your credit report from any, or all, of the nationwide consumer cred
it reporting companies. The
following information is required to process your request.
Omission of any information may delay your request.
If additional info rmation is needed to process your request, the consume r c redit
reporting company will contact you by mail.
Your reque st w ill be processed within 1 5 days of receipt a nd then mailed to you.
Annual Credit Report Request Form
Once com plete, fold (do not staple or tape), place in to a #10 envelope, affix required postage and mail to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.
Copyright 2004, Central Source LLC
Equifax
Experian
TransU nion
I want a credit report from (shade
each that you would lik e to
receive):
Shade here if, for security
reasons, you want your credit
report to include no more than
the last four digits of your
Social Security Number.
Shade Circle Like This >
Not Like This >
Social Security Number:
- -
Date of Birth:
/ /
Month Day
Year
First Name
M.I.
Last Name
JR, SR, III, etc.
Current Mailing Address:
House Number Street Name
City State ZipCode
ZipCode
StateCity
Apartment Number / Private Mailbox
For Puerto Rico Onl y: Print Urbanization Name
Street NameHouse Number
Previous Mailing Address (complete only i f at current mailing address f or less than two years):
Fold HereFold Here
Fold Here
Fold Here
Please useaBlack or Blue Pen and write your responses in PRINTED CAPITAL LETTERS without touching the sides of the boxes like the examples listed below:
For Puerto Rico Onl y: Print Urbanization NameApartment Number / Private Mailbox
31238
A
B C D E F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z 0
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9
G-1
H-1
Leave (3)
blank until
you provide
this form to
someone with
a legitimate
business need,
like when you
are filing your
report at the
police station
or sending
the form
to a credit
reporting
agency to
correct your
credit report.
Skip (8) - (10)
if your
information
has not
changed since
the fraud.
Now
About You (the victim)
Identity Theft Victim’s Complaint and Affidavit
A voluntary form for filing a report with law enforcement, and disputes with credit reporting agencies and creditors about
identity theft-related problems. Visit ftc.gov/idtheft to use a secure online version that you can print for your records.
Before completing this form:
1. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review the reports for signs of fraud.
2. Close the accounts that you know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
(1) My full legal name: ________________________________________________
First Middle Last Suffix
(2) My date of birth: __________________
mm/dd/yyyy
(3) My Social Security number: ________-______-__________
(4) My driver’s license: _________ ___________________
State Number
(5) My current street address:
____________________________________________________________________________
Number & Street Name Apartment, Suite, etc.
_______________________________________________________________
City State Zip Code Country
(6) I have lived at this address since ____________________
mm/yyyy
(7) My daytime phone: (____)___________________
My evening phone: (____)___________________
My email: ______________________________________
At the Time of the Fraud
(8) My full legal name was: ____________________________________________
First Middle Last Suffix
(9) My address was: _________________________________________________
Number & Street Name Apartment, Suite, etc.
_______________________________________________________________
City State Zip Code Country
The Paperwork Reduction Act requires the FTC to display a valid control number (in this case, OMB control #3084-0047)
before we can collect – or sponsor the collection of – your information, or require you to provide it.
Average time to complete: 10 minutes
(10) My daytime phone: (____)_________________ My evening phone: (____)_________________
My email: _____________________________________
(11) I did OR did not authorize anyone to use my name or personal information to
obtain money, credit, loans, goods, or services — or for any
other purpose — as described in this report.
(12) I did OR did not receive any money, goods, services, or other benefit as a
result of the events described in this report.
(13) I am OR am not willing to work with law enforcement if charges are brought
against the person(s) who committed the fraud.
(14) I believe the following person used my information or identification
documents to open new accounts, use my existing accounts, or commit other
fraud.
Victim’s Name _______________________________ Phone number (____)_________________ Page 2
Declarations
About You (the victim) (Continued)
(14):
Enter what
you know
about anyone
you believe
was involved
(even if you
don’t have
complete
information).
Name: ___________________________________________________
First Middle Last Suffix
Address: __________________________________________________
Number & Street Name Apartment, Suite, etc.
__________________________________________________________
City State Zip Code Country
Phone Numbers: (____)_______________ (____)________________
Additional information about this person: _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
About the Fraud
H-2
(11) I did OR did not authorize anyone to use my name or personal information to
obtain money, credit, loans, goods, or services — or for any
other purpose — as described in this report.
(12) I did OR did not receive any money, goods, services, or other benefit as a
result of the events described in this report.
(13) I am OR am not willing to work with law enforcement if charges are brought
against the person(s) who committed the fraud.
(14) I believe the following person used my information or identification
documents to open new accounts, use my existing accounts, or commit other
fraud.
Victim’s Name _______________________________ Phone number (____)_________________ Page 2
Declarations
About You (the victim) (Continued)
(14):
Enter what
you know
about anyone
you believe
was involved
(even if you
don’t have
complete
information).
Name: ___________________________________________________
First Middle Last Suffix
Address: __________________________________________________
Number & Street Name Apartment, Suite, etc.
__________________________________________________________
City State Zip Code Country
Phone Numbers: (____)_______________ (____)________________
Additional information about this person: _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
About the Fraud
H-3
Victim’s Name _______________________________ Phone number (____)_________________ Page 3
(15) Additional information about the crime (for example, how the identity thief
gained access to your information or which documents or information were
used):
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
About the Information or Accounts
(17) The following personal information (like my name, address, Social Security number, or date of
birth) in my credit report is inaccurate as a result of this identity theft:
(A) __________________________________________________________________________
(B) __________________________________________________________________________
(C) __________________________________________________________________________
(18) Credit inquiries from these companies appear on my credit report as a result of this identity
theft:
Company Name: _______________________________________________________________
Company Name: _______________________________________________________________
Company Name: _______________________________________________________________
(14) and (15):
Attach
additional
sheets as
needed.
(16): Reminder:
Attach copies
of your identity
documents
when sending
this form to
creditors
and credit
reporting
agencies.
(16) I can verify my identity with these documents:
A valid government-issued photo identification card (for example, my driver’s
license, state-issued ID card, or my passport).
If you are under 16 and don’t have a photo-ID, a copy of your birth certificate or
a copy of your official school record showing your enrollment and legal address is
acceptable.
Proof of residency during the time the disputed charges occurred, the loan
was made, or the other event took place (for example, a copy of a rental/lease
agreement in my name, a utility bill, or an insurance bill).
Documentation
H-4
___________________________________________________________________
Name of Institution Contact Person Phone Extension
___________________________________________________________________
Account Number Routing Number Affected Check Number(s)
Account Type: Credit Bank Phone/Utilities Loan
Government Benefits Internet or Email Other
Select ONE:
This account was opened fraudulently.
This was an existing account that someone tampered with.
___________________________________________________________________
Date Opened or Misused (mm/yyyy) Date Discovered (mm/yyyy) Total Amount Obtained ($)
___________________________________________________________________
Name of Institution Contact Person Phone Extension
___________________________________________________________________
Account Number Routing Number Affected Check Number(s)
Account Type: Credit Bank Phone/Utilities Loan
Government Benefits Internet or Email Other
Select ONE:
This account was opened fraudulently.
This was an existing account that someone tampered with.
___________________________________________________________________
Date Opened or Misused (mm/yyyy) Date Discovered (mm/yyyy) Total Amount Obtained ($)
___________________________________________________________________
Name of Institution Contact Person Phone Extension
___________________________________________________________________
Account Number Routing Number Affected Check Number(s)
Account Type: Credit Bank Phone/Utilities Loan
Government Benefits Internet or Email Other
Select ONE:
This account was opened fraudulently.
This was an existing account that someone tampered with.
___________________________________________________________________
Date Opened or Misused (mm/yyyy) Date Discovered (mm/yyyy) Total Amount Obtained ($)
Victim’s Name _______________________________ Phone number (____)_________________ Page 4
(19) Below are details about the different frauds committed using my personal information.
(19):
If there were
more than three
frauds, copy this
page blank, and
attach as many
additional copies
as necessary.
Enter any
applicable
information that
you have, even if
it is incomplete
or an estimate.
If the thief
committed two
types of fraud at
one company,
list the company
twice, giving
the information
about the two
frauds separately.
Contact Person:
Someone you
dealt with, whom
an investigator
can call about this
fraud.
Account Number:
The number of
the credit or
debit card, bank
account, loan, or
other account
that was misused.
Dates: Indicate
when the thief
began to misuse
your information
and when you
discovered the
problem.
Amount Obtained:
For instance,
the total amount
purchased with
the card or
withdrawn from
the account.
H-5
Victim’s Name _______________________________ Phone number (____)_________________ Page 5
(20) One way to get a credit reporting agency to quickly block identity theft-
related information from appearing on your credit report is to submit a
detailed law enforcement report (“Identity Theft Report”). You can obtain
an Identity Theft Report by taking this form to your local law enforcement
office, along with your supporting documentation. Ask an officer to witness
your signature and complete the rest of the information in this section. It’s
important to get your report number, whether or not you are able to file in
person or get a copy of the official law enforcement report. Attach a copy of
any confirmation letter or official law enforcement report you receive when
sending this form to credit reporting agencies.
Select ONE:
I have not filed a law enforcement report.
I was unable to file any law enforcement report.
I filed an automated report with the law enforcement agency listed
below.
I filed my report in person with the law enforcement
officer and agency listed below.
____________________________________________________________________
Law Enforcement Department State
____________________________ _____________________
Report Number Filing Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
____________________________________________________________________
Officer’s Name (please print) Officer’s Signature
____________________________ (____)_______________
Badge Number Phone Number
Did the victim receive a copy of the report from the law enforcement officer? Yes OR No
Victim’s FTC complaint number (if available): ________________________
Your Law Enforcement Report
(20):
Check “I have
not...” if you have
not yet filed a
report with law
enforcement or
you have chosen
not to. Check “I
was unable...” if
you tried to file
a report but law
enforcement
refused to take it.
Automated report:
A law
enforcement
report filed
through an
automated
system, for
example, by
telephone, mail,
or the Internet,
instead of a
face-to-face
interview with a
law enforcement
officer.
H-6
As applicable, sign and date IN THE PRESENCE OF a law enforcement officer, a notary, or
a witness.
(21) I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information on and attached to
this complaint is true, correct, and complete and made in good faith. I understand that this
complaint or the information it contains may be made available to federal, state, and/or local
law enforcement agencies for such action within their jurisdiction as they deem appropriate. I
understand that knowingly making any false or fraudulent statement or representation to the
government may violate federal, state, or local criminal statutes, and may result in a fine,
imprisonment, or both.
_______________________________________ _________________________________________
Signature Date Signed (mm/dd/yyyy)
Signature
(22) If you do not choose to file a report with law enforcement, you may use this form as an Identity
Theft Affidavit to prove to each of the companies where the thief misused your information that
you are not responsible for the fraud. While many companies accept this affidavit, others require
that you submit different forms. Check with each company to see if it accepts this form. You
should also check to see if it requires notarization. If so, sign in the presence of a notary. If it
does not, please have one witness (non-relative) sign that you completed and signed this Affidavit.
_______________________________________
Notary
Witness:
_______________________________________ _________________________________________
Signature Printed Name
_______________________________________ _________________________________________
Date Telephone Number
Your Affidavit
Victim’s Name _______________________________ Phone number (____)_________________ Page 6
I-1
UNIFORM MINOR’S STATUS DECLARATION
This is a voluntary declaraon for establishing that a child is a minor. Use it for disputes with credit reporng
companies and creditors about identy the related problems.
ABOUT THE MINOR CHILD
Full Legal Name
First Middle Last, Sux
Date of Birth Social Security Number
mm/dd/yy
Current Street Address
City State Zip Code
The child has lived at
this address since
mm/dd/yy
All other addresses where the child has lived within the last ve years:
ABOUT THE PARENT, GUARDIAN, OR LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE
Full Legal Name
First Middle Last, Sux
Date of Birth
mm/dd/yy
Current Street Address
if dierent from the
child’s address
City State Zip Code
I have lived at this
address since
mm/dd/yy
Dayme Telephone ( ) Evening Telephone ( )
I-2
DOCUMENTATION AND SIGNATURE
Aach COPIES, not originals, of the following documents with your Declaraon:
• the child’s birth cercate or, for an adopted child without a birth cercate, a nal adopon proceeding
order or cercate
• the child’s Social Security card
• your state idencaon card, like a driver’s license or military issued photo idencaon card that shows
your current address
• a ulity bill that shows your current address
• for guardians: a copy of the court order or another proof of guardianship or legal representaon of the
minor.
Sign and date the following paragraph:
I cerfy that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all the informaon on and aached to this declaraon
is true, correct, and complete and made in good faith. I further cerfy that I am the parent, adopve parent,
legal guardian, or legal representave of the child named in this declaraon. I understand that this declaraon
or the informaon it contains may be made available to federal, state, and/or local law enforcement agencies
for such acon within their jurisdicon as they deem appropriate. I understand that knowingly making a false
or fraudulent statement or representaon to the government may constute a violaon of 18 U.S.C. § 1001 or
other federal, state, or local criminal statutes, and may result in imposion of a ne or imprisonment or both.
Signature Date Signed
CONTACT INFO
CREDIT REPORTING COMPANIES
Equifax
www.equifax.com
1-800-525-6285
Experian
www.experian.com
1-888-397-3742
TransUnion
www.transunion.com
1-800-680-7289
Federal Communicaons
Commission
For help with telephone service:
www.fcc.gov/cgb
1-888-225-5322
1-888-835-5322 (TTY)
Federal Financial Instuons
Examinaon Council
To locate the agency that regulates
a bank or credit union:
www.ec.gov/consumercenter
Federal Trade
Commission
To report identy the:
www.c.gov/complaint
1-877-438-4338
1-866-653-4261 (TTY)
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Internal Revenue Service
Identy Protecon Specialized Unit
To report identy the:
www.irs.gov/identythe
1-800-908-4490
Legal Services Programs
To locate a legal services provider:
www.lsc.gov/local-programs/
program-proles
Social Security Administraon
To report fraud:
go to www.socialsecurity.gov and
type “Fraud” in the Search box.
1-800-269-0271
1-866-501-2101 (TTY)
U.S. Department of Educaon
To report fraud:
www.ed.gov/about/oces/list/oig/
hotline.html
Or go to www.ed.gov and type
“OIG Hotline” in the Search box.
1-800-647-8733
U.S. Department of Jusce
To report suspected bankruptcy
fraud:
www.jusce.gov/ust/eo/fraud
Or send email to
USTP.Bankruptcy[email protected]
U.S. Postal Inspecon Service
To le a complaint:
hps://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/
contactUs/lecomplaint.aspx
1-877-876-2455
U.S. Postal Service
To place a hold on mail:
www.usps.com/holdmail
To locate a post oce:
www.usps.com
1-800-275-8777
U.S. Securies and Exchange
Commission
To report fraud:
www.sec.gov/complaint/
pscomplaint.shtml
1-800-732-0330
U.S. Department of State
To report a lost or stolen passport:
www.travel.state.gov/passport
1-877-487-2778
1-888-874-7793 (TDD/TTY)
Ask each company for the email or postal mail address for sending dispute or blocking requests.
CONTACT INFO
CREDIT REPORTING COMPANIES
OTHER
American Bar Associaon
To locate state and local bar associaons:
www.americanbar.org/groups/bar_services/
resources/state_local_bar_associaons.html
Free Annual Credit Reports
To order a free annual credit report:
www.annualcreditreport.com
1-877-322-8228
Certegy
To ask about a declined check:
www.askcertegy.com
1-800-437-5120
ChexSystems, Inc.
To report checking accounts opened in
your name:
www.consumerdebit.com
1-800-428-9623
Naonal Associaon of Aorneys General
To nd a State Aorney General:
www.naag.org
1-202-326-6000 (Not a toll-free number)
Naonal Associaon of Regulatory Ulity
Commissioners
To get contact informaon for a state ulity
commission:
www.naruc.org/commissions
1-202-898-2200 (Not a toll-free number)
Opt Out
To opt out of prescreened oers of credit or
insurance:
www.optoutprescreen.com
1-888-567-8688
TeleCheck Services, Inc.
To report check fraud:
www.rstdata.com/telecheck
1-800-710-9898
