How To Recover From Identity Theft

 At one point or another, you might find yourself asking “How can I recover from identity theft.” Millions of people are at risk every year. Common forms of identity theft include fraud, credit card skimming, and even stealing your mail. Identity theft can have major implications on your entire life. If your identity is stolen, someone might be using your personal information to take out credit card debt in your name, which can impact your financial health and credit score.

If you fall victim to identity theft, your main goal should be clearing your name and reporting fraud. Unfortunately, many people who have their identities stolen don’t realize until it’s too late, making it difficult to clear their names quickly and get fraudulent activity removed from their credit reports. When your identity is stolen, you must act fast. This article will cover what to do if your identity is stolen and how you can prevent it in the future.

Recovering From Identity Theft

Early detection is key for recovering after your identity has been stolen. Unfortunately, the longer the theft has been going on, the worse the impact can be, damaging your credit history and costing you time and effort. Here’s what to do if you find fraudulent charges on your credit or debit card or inaccurate information on your credit report.

Notify Creditors and Banks

Contact your bank immediately if you see a fraudulent charge on your credit or debit card. Most credit cards come with protections for victims of identity theft. You are also protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act, which makes it so the maximum liability you have for unauthorized or fraudulent charges is only $50.

If your credit or debit card has been lost or stolen, you should report it before any fraudulent transactions can take place. Otherwise, you might have a short window to report unauthorized charges.

No matter what you believe has been compromised, whether it’s a card or your credit report is showing unauthorized loans, suspicious activity should be immediately reported.

You can file an identity theft report and a police report to be shared with your creditor to show them you’re taking the appropriate steps to resolve the issue.

Use a Fraud Alert

Because fraud can make your credit score drop, you need to protect your credit from more damage that can last for years. You can contact any of the three credit reporting agencies to request a fraud alert. The credit reporting agencies are:

1. Equifax
2. Experian
3. TransUnion

You should also notify your CPA. If your accountant is using professional tax software, they may have access to certain protections for you, including putting an alert on credit records, access to identity theft restoration advocates, and notifications to banks.

Fraud alerts are free and stay on your credit report for one year. You can also choose to get a new alert after the first year to ensure your security. An alert will make it difficult for other people to open accounts in your name, forcing businesses to contact you before issuing a loan of any kind.

Once you have an alert set up, you’ll receive free credit reports from the three reporting bureaus. Review each report for any possible signs of fraud, which can include new accounts you never opened, inquiries you don’t remember, and payment histories that don’t make sense. Also, check your personal information to ensure it’s correct.

As a way to prevent identity theft, pull your reports every year to check for potentially fraudulent activity.

Freeze 

Once you’ve found evidence of fraud on your credit report, freeze your credit. Credit freezes prevent reporting agencies from releasing your reports to creditors. Therefore, if a stranger tries to open up a credit card in your name, they won’t be able to because there is a credit freeze on your report. Freezing your credit is free, but make sure to contact all three bureaus to request it.

Report Theft to the FTC

Once you’ve reported identity theft to the bank and credit bureaus, it’s time to contact the FTC. You can fill out an online form at IdentityTheft.gov and provide as many details as possible. By contacting the FTC, you’ll receive a free recovery plan that can help you get back on track. You’ll also get an Identity Theft Report as proof your identity was stolen. This report can help you when you’re filing a police report and may serve as necessary evidence when talking to one of the major credit bureaus.

Talk to the Police

Filing a report with your local police department can help provide you with further proof of identity theft. Having a police report in hand can protect you from any damages caused by the theft, such as owing money to a creditor. The police report should list all of your accounts affected and a copy of your Identity Theft Report from the FTC.

Have Fraudulent Info Removed From Credit Report

After finding the fraudulent activity on your credit reports:

1. Contact all three credit bureaus to have fraudulent information removed.
2. Include a copy of your police report and Identity Theft Report from the FTC to serve as proof that you have been a victim of theft.
3. Be descriptive and include details about the information that’s fraudulent so you can remove it from your report.

Change Your Passwords

Identity theft can come from several places, including lost or stolen credit cards or cyberattacks. For example, if your favorite online shop got hacked, your information, including credit card numbers and address, could have been stolen.

Someone may have also hacked into any one of your apps to gain access to your bank accounts. Once you find suspicious activity on your bank account, change all of your bank passwords and the passwords of anything associated with your account, including payment apps and eCommerce shop logins.

Final Thoughts

If your credit score has been affected by identity theft, it can take years for it to go back up, depending on the amount of damage. However, if you follow these tips, you can start protecting yourself and ensuring you won’t become a victim again. The best thing you can do after you’ve taken all of the necessary actions with the police, the FTC, and the major credit reporting bureaus, is to practice patience. Eventually, your credit score will return to a healthy number.