Identity Theft, Dana Rose: Part Two

If you are a victim of identity theft, the first thing you need to do is file a police report. You can file a report at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at IdentityTheft.gov, or you can call them at the Identity Theft hotline, 1-877-438-4338 or or TTY 1-866-653-4261. Next you should contact the three major credit report bureaus, Equifax, 1-888-766-0008, Experian 1-888-397-3742 and TransUnion 1-800-680-7289. You also need to contact all of your financial institutions and close any accounts opened without your permission or that show unusual activity. And finally, you should seek legal advice to find out what you should do should your credit be ruined. Identity theft is on the increase. Nearly 60 million Americans have been affected by identity theft, according to a 2018 online survey by The Harris Poll. And the number keeps growing every year.