If you have been a victim of identity theft, these steps can help get you back on track to protecting your finances and privacy:
Place a fraud alert on your credit reports and carefully review your credit reports.
Contact your creditors and financial institutions. Close all accounts that have been accessed by the identity thieves. Ask for passwords to secure new accounts.
Keep a log of who you speak to and when. Send a follow-up letter for all phone calls and send all letters by certified mail. Keep copies of all letters and documents.
File a report with the police in the community where the ID theft took place. Ask for a copy of the report to show your creditors and financial institutions. To make a police report with the Blaine Police Department, call 763-427-1212.
File a report with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Identity Theft Department by calling 877-ID-THEFT.
File a report with one of the three major credit-reporting bureaus to put a fraud alert on your name. Order credit reports and review them thoroughly. You can reach the three major credit bureaus at:
Experian: 888-397-3742
Equifax: 800-525-6285
TransUnion: 800-680-7289
If mail was stolen or tampered with, contact the Postal Inspection Service at 801-974-2271.
If Social Security Number (SSN) or card has been stolen, call the SSN Fraud Hotline at 800-269-0271.
If your checks have been stolen or misused, close the account and ask your bank to notify the appropriate check verification service by calling 888-567-8688.