Identity Theft

If you've been the victim of identity theft, there are some important steps to take. First you must report the crime to the police and obtain a case report and a case number. Next call all of your credit card providers. Cancel your cards and request new account numbers. Also, be sure to indicate that you want your cancellation statement to disclose that the account was closed at the owner's request. Also be sure to ask for a password to be placed on all of your new or reissued accounts.

The thief may have opened accounts in your name, so you'll want to close those as well. As for the future. You can set up a "flag" for yourself, so that your name and account is on fraud alert. So, when you are anyone else tries to open an account in your name, the account will need to be cleared through you. You provide a phone number, and whenever an account open attempt occurs, you'll receive a call. This is a safety measure that will help you rest easily, especially after an identity theft situation.