If you feel that you have been the victim of identity theft, there are several steps that you may take to minimize any risk of a theft of your identity. As a preliminary step, we recommend that you contact your banking institutions and advise them of your concern.
We also strongly encourage you to place an initial fraud alert on your credit file. A fraud alert directs creditors to contact you before they open any new accounts or make changes to your existing accounts. A fraud alert can be placed on your credit file by contacting any one of the three major credit bureaus. Once one credit bureau confirms the fraud alert, the others are automatically notified to place the alert on your file. All three credit reports will be sent to you, free of charge, for your review. The credit bureaus may be contacted as follows:
Equifax Experian TransUnion
800-525-6285 888-397-3742 800-680-7289
www.equifax.com www.experian.com www.transunion.com
P.O. Box 740241 P.O. Box 2002 Fraud Victim Assistance Division
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241 Allen, TX 75013 P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
Once you obtain your credit report, review it for suspicious activity, such as inquiries from companies you did not contact, accounts that you did not open, and debts on your accounts that you do not recognize. Also, take the opportunity to verify that your social security number, address and employment information are correct. If there is any suspicious activity, you should contact the credit bureau to place an extended alert on your report.
Even if you do not find any suspicious activity on your initial credit reports, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) recommends that you check your credit reports periodically. Victim information sometimes is held for use or shared among a group of thieves at different times. Checking your credit reports periodically can help you spot problems and address them quickly. You may obtain a free copy of your credit report annually from each of the three credit bureaus by going to www.annualcreditreport.com. Additionally, we would recommend that you check your last two bank account and credit card statements for any suspicious activity and carefully monitor those statements in the future.
If you find suspicious activity on your credit reports or have reason to believe that your information is being misused, you should contact your local police department and file a police report. You should ask for a copy of the report, since many creditors will want the information it contains to absolve you of the fraudulent debts. Again, if you find suspicious activity on your credit reports, you should also file a complaint with the FTC at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338). Your complaint will be added to the FTC’s identity theft data clearinghouse, where it will be accessible to law enforcement officials for their investigations.
Criminals use many methods to steal personal information from taxpayers. They can use your information to steal your identity and file a tax return in order to receive a refund. Here are ten things the IRS wants you to know about identity theft so you can avoid becoming the victim of a scam artist.
1. Identity thieves get your personal information by many different means, including stealing a wallet or purse or accessing information you provide to an unsecured Internet site. They even look for personal information in your trash. They also pose as someone who needs information through a phone call or e-mail.
2. The IRS does not initiate contact with a taxpayer by e-mail.
3. If you receive an e-mail scam, forward it to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.
4. If you receive a letter from the IRS leading you to believe your identity has been stolen, respond immediately to the name, address or phone number on the IRS notice.
5. Your identity may be stolen if a letter from the IRS indicates more than one tax return was filed for you or the letter states you received wages from an employer you don't know.
6. If your Social Security number is stolen, it may be used by another individual to get a job. That person's employer would report income earned to the IRS using your Social Security number, making it appear that you did not report all of your income on your tax return.
7. If your tax records are not currently affected by identity theft, but you believe you may be at risk due to a lost wallet, questionable credit card activity, or credit report, you need to provide the IRS with proof of your identity. You should submit a copy of your valid government - issued identification - such as a Social Security card, driver's license, or passport - along with a copy of a police report and/or a completed Form 14039, IRS Identity Theft Affidavit.
8. Show your Social Security card to your employer when you start a job or to your financial institution for tax reporting purposes. Do not routinely carry your card or other documents that display your SSN.
9. If you have previously been in contact with the IRS and have not achieved a resolution, please contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit, toll-free at 1-800-908-4490.
10. For more information about identity theft - including information about how to report identity theft, phishing and related fraudulent activity - visit the IRS Identity Theft Resource Page, which you can find by typing Identity Theft in the search box on the IRS.gov home page.
