By definition, identity theft is the use of someone's personal information by another to commit any act of fraud. Identity theft is not just about credit cards, as the TV commercials might lead you to believe. Though somewhat overlapping, any identity theft falls into at least one of the following five categories:
- Drivers License.
- Social Security.
- Medical Records or Insurance.
- Financial.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft victims spend countless hours and thousands of dollars in the quest to clear their name. Invariably identity theves have a detrimental impact on your clean credit history.
If you are a victim, you will need to stop the thief in his tracks by:
- Immediately involving law enforcement. Get a case number that will be required in everything else you do.
- Notifying involved institutions and government agencies that your identity has been compromised. Enter fraud alerts and freeze your credit.
If you find fraud or identity theft on your credit report you will need a police report. With a police report we can usually get the fraud or identity theft off of your report in about 14 business days. I hope this helps someone today.
Have a great day!
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