How to Report Fraud
Gather evidence that your identity was stolen., Report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)., File a police report., Report it to the three credit reporting companies., Contact the Social Security Administration., Contact other agencies to...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gather evidence that your identity was stolen.
Identify fraud is when someone uses your name, credit card information, social security number, or other personal data to make purchases, take out loans, or otherwise commit fraud.
If you were the victim of identify fraud, it's important to gather as much evidence as possible so you can report the fraud and stop the criminal from continuing to use your identify.Evidence of identity theft and fraud may include:
Credit card statements that show purchases you didn't make Statements from credit card companies you don't have an account with Collection notices for debts that aren't yours Mistakes on your credit reports from the three credit agencies:
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -
Step 2: Report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The FTC processes complaints from people who believe they are victims of identity theft and refers them to agencies who will investigate the crime.
The FTC will help you create an identity theft affidavit you can use to aid in filing a police report.You can report identity theft to the FTC by doing one of the following:
Report it online by visiting www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft.
Report it over the phone by calling 1-877-ID THEFT (877-438-4338) or TDD at 1-866-653-4261.
Report it by mail by sending your complaint to Consumer Response Center, FTC, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC
20580. , Go to your local police station and file an identify theft report.
Have a copy of your FTC identity theft affidavit, any other evidence of fraud that you have gathered, and a valid ID.Fill out and file a report, and request a copy as well as a report number so you can keep track of the progress of the report. , Do this as soon as possible after determining that your identity was used to take out a new credit line, make purchases, take out loans, or anything else that could affect your credit.
Each credit reporting company has a fraud unit to deal with credit fraud:
Equifax:
Call (800) 525-6285.
Experian:
Call (888) EXPERIAN or (888) 397-3742.
TransUnion:
Call (800) 680-7289. , If you suspect your social security number was stolen and is being used to commit fraud, report it immediately by calling 800-269-0271.
The Social Security Administration will help you determine whether you need to receive a new social security number and card. , If you suspect your private information has been tampered with or used to do more than make purchases or take out loans, there are other specific agencies you may need to get in touch with to file reports.
If you think the identify thief contacted the post office to have your address changed, call your local office of the Postal Inspection Service.
If you think your tax identification information was used fraudulently, call, the IRS at 1-800-829-0433.
If your personal information was used to open a fraudulent bank account, call the financial institution involved to report it.
If your personal information was used to make long-distance phone calls or international purchases, call the companies involved to report the problem. -
Step 3: File a police report.
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Step 4: Report it to the three credit reporting companies.
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Step 5: Contact the Social Security Administration.
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Step 6: Contact other agencies to report specific types of identity fraud.
Detailed Guide
Identify fraud is when someone uses your name, credit card information, social security number, or other personal data to make purchases, take out loans, or otherwise commit fraud.
If you were the victim of identify fraud, it's important to gather as much evidence as possible so you can report the fraud and stop the criminal from continuing to use your identify.Evidence of identity theft and fraud may include:
Credit card statements that show purchases you didn't make Statements from credit card companies you don't have an account with Collection notices for debts that aren't yours Mistakes on your credit reports from the three credit agencies:
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion
The FTC processes complaints from people who believe they are victims of identity theft and refers them to agencies who will investigate the crime.
The FTC will help you create an identity theft affidavit you can use to aid in filing a police report.You can report identity theft to the FTC by doing one of the following:
Report it online by visiting www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft.
Report it over the phone by calling 1-877-ID THEFT (877-438-4338) or TDD at 1-866-653-4261.
Report it by mail by sending your complaint to Consumer Response Center, FTC, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC
20580. , Go to your local police station and file an identify theft report.
Have a copy of your FTC identity theft affidavit, any other evidence of fraud that you have gathered, and a valid ID.Fill out and file a report, and request a copy as well as a report number so you can keep track of the progress of the report. , Do this as soon as possible after determining that your identity was used to take out a new credit line, make purchases, take out loans, or anything else that could affect your credit.
Each credit reporting company has a fraud unit to deal with credit fraud:
Equifax:
Call (800) 525-6285.
Experian:
Call (888) EXPERIAN or (888) 397-3742.
TransUnion:
Call (800) 680-7289. , If you suspect your social security number was stolen and is being used to commit fraud, report it immediately by calling 800-269-0271.
The Social Security Administration will help you determine whether you need to receive a new social security number and card. , If you suspect your private information has been tampered with or used to do more than make purchases or take out loans, there are other specific agencies you may need to get in touch with to file reports.
If you think the identify thief contacted the post office to have your address changed, call your local office of the Postal Inspection Service.
If you think your tax identification information was used fraudulently, call, the IRS at 1-800-829-0433.
If your personal information was used to open a fraudulent bank account, call the financial institution involved to report it.
If your personal information was used to make long-distance phone calls or international purchases, call the companies involved to report the problem.
About the Author
James Castillo
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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