A stolen wallet can create headaches. A thief would like to tap your existing accounts. But they may go even further … and try to set up new accounts using your existing personal information.Contact your credit card issuers immediately by getting their phone numbers, along with your account numbers, from monthly billing statements. Get new cards with new numbers sent to you (if this is their policy). But don’t stop there.If your driver’s license was taken along with your wallet then call the department of motor vehicles for your state. Follow their procedures for having a “fraud alert” attached to your license number as you request a new license.If any other cards were taken, such as those attached with memberships of any kind, then you’ll need to call those organizations as well. Have fraud alerts posted to your accounts. ID thieve often use such accounts to open brand new “fraud” accounts.How can you know when any fraud accounts are opened in your name?The answer lies with the big 3 credit reporting agencies. Your whole profile, which includes credit info, is inside their databases. Any new accounts, including ones resulting from […]
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If your wallet is stolen you’ve got a problem. But if it leads to identity theft then you’ve got bigger problems.Identity theft can result if a thief takes your personal info and uses it to open other accounts for their own gain. In other words, it goes beyond stealing from your existing accounts. It involves opening brand new fraudulent accounts, using your name and personal information, so the new credit can be tapped by the thief.To shut down fraudulent activity you must go beyond simply contacting the issuers of existing credit cards. You must widen the safety net.This includes:– Calling your state’s department of motor vehicles and asking them to attach a “fraud alert” to your driver’s profile. Request that no part of your personal information, such as home address, be changed without alerting you.– Contacting any organizations or memberships if their cards were in your wallet. Have a fraud alert attached to them.– Contacting the big 3 credit reporting agencies immediately. Their phone numbers are as follows: Experian - 888-397-3742, Trans Union - 800-888-4213 and Equifax - 800-685-1111. Ask each one to send you a free credit report. All your […]
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You need to do much more than simply call credit reporting agencies if you’re the victim of a stolen identity. You’ll also have to pay attention to the companies you presently have accounts with.Calling and writing financial institutions is important. You’ll also want to contact service providers such as phone / cell phone providers, utility companies and auto / health / life insurance companies.If you have a career where you’re a member of a professional organization or agency, then you should contact this organization. And if you have any type of gym, or sports membership, then you may even want to contact these service providers also.Why all of these organizations?Identity thieves often use personal information taken from valid associations to open fraudulent accounts elsewhere. For example, if an identity thief is able to obtain information about your accounts with health or life insurance companies then they could change or alter data within these records, and then use the information to obtain new policies with other companies.If your account(s) with these companies doesn’t yet appear to be affected by fraud, you won’t need to necessarily include everything in your correspondence that would typically be sent to those […]
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