What is Identity Theft? Identity theft is when someone steals your identity and then impersonates you to open bogus credit card accounts, rent apartments, and engage in criminal acts, among other things. Since the new accounts are given a “new” billing address, victims are often never aware that their identity has been stolen. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse estimates that there are between 500,000 to 700,000 identity theft victims each year in the United States and thanks to technology, the numbers are rapidly rising.

Identity theft is a common practice among stalkers, especially domestic-related stalkers, because they have easier access to your personal information, such as bank accounts, social security number, mother’s maiden name, and credit card account numbers.

If you suspect you may be a victim of identity theft, you may find the following information helpful (Compiled from all three credit bureaus):

Obtain a copy of your credit report. There are three major credit bureaus, Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax. Look over your credit reports for any fraud activity. You may be able to qualify for a free credit report.

Inform the creditors. Taking quick action can help overcome some of the difficulties caused by identity theft. Contact the creditor (i.e. bank or credit card company) that issued the fraudulent account and inform them that the account is fraudulent. If your checks were stolen, notify your bank immediately and close your account.

Protect Yourself. Make sure a security alert or victim statement is on file with all three national credit bureaus. All of the credit bureaus should have a fraud division: Experian 888-397-3742; Transunion 800-680-7289; Equifax 800-525-6285.

File a report with the police. Make sure you get the police case number for each report filed. Alexandria city will not issue police reports to civilians. If you suspect that your mail has been stolen, notify the Postal Inspector. Theft of mail is a felony offense.

Document all contacts. Make notes of everyone you spoke with; ask for names, department names, phone numbers, and write down the date and time that you spoke with them.

Understand the process. Each creditor may have a different process for handling a fraud claim. Make sure you understand what is expected from you, then ask what you can expect from the creditor. At the conclusion of an investigation, ask for a document stating that you are not responsible for the incurred debt.

Follow-up. Make sure everything a creditor/credit bureau has requested is received. It is always a good idea to call or send a letter for confirmation.

Review Reports Regularly. Obtain another credit report several months after you believe everything has been cleared up. If a discrepency in your account is discovered, you know how to handle it. If your credit report is back to normal, you can feel confident that the matter has been resolved as you expected. Check your credit report again every six months, for the next year.