Identity Theft
- From: "pong" <pong@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2006 14:23:00 -0700
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html#What%20Should%20I%20Do%20If%20I've%20Become%20A%20Victim%20Of
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What Are Identity Theft and Identity Fraud?
"But he that filches from me my good name/Robs me of that which not
enriches him/And makes me poor indeed." - Shakespeare, Othello, act iii.
Sc. 3.
The short answer is that identity theft is a crime. Identity theft and
identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which
someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some
way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain. These
Web pages are intended to explain why you need to take precautions to
protect yourself from identity theft.
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What Should I Do If I've Become A Victim Of Identity Theft?
If you think you've become a victim of identity theft or fraud, act
immediately to minimize the damage to your personal funds and financial
accounts, as well as your reputation. Here's a list -- based in part on a
checklist prepared by the California Public Interest Research Group
(CalPIRG) and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse -- of some actions that you
should take right away:
1.. Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report the situation,
whether --
2.. Online,
3.. By telephone toll-free at 1-877-ID THEFT (877-438-4338) or TDD at
202-326-2502, or
4.. By mail to Consumer Response Center, FTC, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
N.W., Washington, DC 20580.
Under the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act , the Federal Trade
Commission is responsible for receiving and processing complaints from
people who believe they may be victims of identity theft, providing
informational materials to those people, and referring those complaints to
appropriate entities, including the major credit reporting agencies and law
enforcement agencies. For further information, please check the FTC's
identity theft Web pages . You can also call your local office of the FBI or
the U.S. Secret Service to report crimes relating to identity theft and
fraud.
You may also need to contact other agencies for other types of identity
theft:
1.. Your local office of the Postal Inspection Service if you suspect that
an identity thief has submitted a change-of-address form with the Post
Office to redirect your mail, or has used the mail to commit frauds
involving your identity;
2.. The Social Security Administration if you suspect that your Social
Security number is being fraudulently used (call 800-269-0271 to report the
fraud);
3.. The Internal Revenue ServiceIf you suspect the improper use of
identification information in connection with tax violations (call
1-800-829-0433 to report the violations).
Call the fraud units of the three principal credit reporting companies:
Equifax:
1.. To report fraud, call (800) 525-6285 or write to P.O. Box 740250,
Atlanta, GA 30374-0250.
2.. To order a copy of your credit report ($8 in most states), write to
P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241, or call (800) 685-1111.
3.. To dispute information in your report, call the phone number provided
on your credit report.
4.. To opt out of pre-approved offers of credit, call (888) 567-8688 or
write to Equifax Options, P.O. Box 740123, Atlanta GA 30374-0123.
.
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