Identity theft has become the number one white-collar crime in America and it continues to grow rapidly throughout the world. With the growing use of the Internet, criminals have the ability to go online and intercept your personal information and later stealing your identity. What can you do once you’ve had your identity stolen?

Recovering from identity theft is difficult at best. Your entire life is turned upside down. The ability to get any type of loan, or credit card is next to impossible when someone steals your identity. Getting any kind of help is also rare, although there is identity theft insurance that is starting to appear on the market. You will be the one who is responsible to get your credit repaired even though you were a victim of a crime.

If you’ve become a recent victim of identity theft there are a few things you can do to help yourself. Believe it or not, there are also different forms of identity theft. On the low end you may have had your credit cards stolen and the criminal then goes out and charges up a storm. Generally, you can simply call your credit card company and have the charges removed. Consider yourself lucky and move on.

On the other hand, you may become a victim of more serious identity theft in which the criminal has obtained your social security number, bank account information, etc. Now this person can set up new credit card accounts, loans and other bills. This can happen almost overnight with today’s technology. You can go online and apply for hundreds of different credit cards.

The more time that goes by before you discover this activity, the worse it can get. You can have people get personal loans from online lending companies and the list just goes on. Getting this cleared off your credit can be a nightmare. Be prepared to fill out all sorts of forms and jump through hoops, but you really have no choice, as you have to have a bank account, drivers license and other cards.

When you first discover something has gone terribly wrong, call the banks and credit card companies immediately. Have your accounts stopped. If as a result of identity theft you’ve had your social security number stolen as well, get in touch with the government. They can get you a new number and provide some other help.

If you have stocks, bonds, or other investments, call your financial advisor or broker and let them know what has happened. They can put a freeze on your accounts so no criminal can cash these out. It’s easier for a criminal to do this than you might think, especially in today’s online world.

After you have let everyone know that you have been a victim of identity theft begin keeping a close tab on all the illegal activity you can. If you notice a new account has opened let the company know it is not from you. Also, keep a good record on everyone you talk to with the various credit companies. Be sure to include times and dates, as well as names and any notes in regards to those you speak with. By keeping good records it can help make things a little easier to recover from.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Identity Theft

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