Common questions about identity theft, identity fraud, and other financial scams

Your:

• name, 
• address, 
• telephone number, 
• driver's license number, 
• social security number, 
• place of employment, 
• employee identification number, 
• mother's maiden name, 
• demand deposit account number, 
• savings account number, 
• credit card number and 
• computer password, 

are all examples of personal identifying information that can be stolen from you and used to commit fraud or other crimes.

Thieves might use this information to open bank or credit card accounts, file taxes, or make purchases without your permission. 

You may be the victim of identity theft if you:

• See credit or debit charges you do not recognize,
• Get bills for accounts you did not open,
• Get notices of unemployment insurance you did not apply for, or
• Get IRS notices that say you filed 2 or more tax returns.

See the FTC’s article on how to tell if someone is using your identity.

It is important to file a police report so that you have documentation. It’s helpful to have a written report when you talk with credit card companies and banks. The police may not investigate all the complaints they get. But if they do, they may be able to recover money you’ve lost if you file a timely report. Or they might be able to find out who the thief is.

Security freezes

There are 3 major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Each credit bureau has specific requirements to place a security freeze on your credit report. Review the requirements on the websites before making a security freeze. 

Fraud alerts

Or you can place a “fraud alert” on your credit file. A fraud alert requires creditors to contact you before opening a new account in your name or making any changes to your existing accounts. Unlike a credit freeze, a fraud alert doesn’t prevent businesses from seeing your credit report. If you want a fraud alert, you only have to ask 1 agency (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion). They will tell the other 2 agencies.

If you have also reported the suspected identity theft to the police or the FTC, then you can get an extended fraud alert. An extended fraud alert lasts for 7 years. See the FTC’s article on fraud alerts.

When you place a fraud alert on your credit file, all 3 credit agencies have to send you a free credit report. Read the credit reports carefully. I If you discover any new accounts that you did not open, or unexplained debts on your valid accounts, contact the credit agency right away. You can dispute charges you did not authorize. See the FTC website to learn how to get free credit reports.

If you think someone has your bank or credit card number, ask your bank or credit card company to:

• Close your account and give you a new account number.
• Change the 4-digit Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) for your debit and credit cards
• Reset your account passwords and security questions. Or,
• Close your account. 

• The Massachusetts Attorney General's Elder Hotline, (888) 243-5337: The hotline team helps elders with a range of issues, including identity theft and scams. They can help you manage and report what happened and take steps to prevent against further identity theft. 
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), (877) 438-4338: The FTC tracks and prosecutes identity theft crimes across the country. If you report what happened to the FTC, they use that information to create a personal recovery plan for you. They will walk you through each recovery step, update your plan as needed, and track your progress. They can pre-fill forms and letters for you. 

You can also report the fraud to:

• Your bank. If you believe that the identity thief wrote checks in your name or you deposited a fraudulent check, contact the bank’s fraud department. Let them know that you have been a victim of identity theft.
• The Registry of Motor Vehicles. If you believe that the identity thief has stolen your driver’s license number, you can have the RMV issue you a new one.
• Social Security Administration. You can contact the Social Security Administration to request a replacement card if your social security card was stolen or lost, or to request a new social security number, or for help in correcting your earnings records. 
• United States Postal Service. If you believe that an identity thief has filed a change of address without your permission, you can notify the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and your local postmaster. Ask them to make sure that all your mail in your name comes to your correct address. 
• U.S. Passport Services Offices. If your passport was stolen, report the theft right away to the U.S. Department of State Passport Services Office.
• Your phone carrier. If you see fraudulent charges on your cell phone bill, contact your provider right away. You may need to close your accounts and open new ones. You can also ask them to set up a password that you need to give before any changes can be made to your accounts.
• The MA unemployment agency. If you believe that someone tried to file an unemployment claim in your name, use the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA)'s secure reporting form.

Place a security freeze or fraud alert on a minor’s credit report. 

Parents, guardians, and legal representatives for a minor 16 years old or younger can place a security freeze on a child’s credit report. If a child does not have a credit report due to their age, you can ask the credit reporting agency to create one for the child to freeze it. 

Keep good records.

• When you file a complaint or report your fraud over the phone, make a written note with the names of anyone you spoke with, what was said, and the date of the conversation.
• If you file a written complaint or any paperwork about the identity theft, keep a copy for your own records.
• Ask for copies of the police reports.
• Keep all letters you get from creditors.
• Keep your information in more than one place. If you keep hard copies in a file at home, make sure you have an electronic version saved as well.

Identity thieves can steal your personal information in a variety of ways Knowing how a thief can access your personal information can help you proactively take steps to keep your information secure. See the FTC’s article How to protect yourself against identity theft for more information.

You can buy or get low-cost or free help to stop identity theft. See the FTC's Monitoring Services, Recovery Services, and Identity Theft Insurance.

Even if you haven’t been a victim of identity theft yet, you can consider putting a security freeze or a fraud alert on your credit report to make it harder for an identity thief to open accounts in your name. 

Review your credit reports each year. AnnualCreditReport.com is the only government-authorized website that gives free annual credit reports.