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Help for Victims
This section of the web site provides advice to those of you who think you may have been a victim of identity theft or want information on how to keep from becoming a victim.

The information below will help you take the first steps in aiding law enforcement and clearing your credit and reputation. The sooner you take action, the less damage there may be to your credit rating.

Just as you are responsible for monitoring your statements and records carefully each month, you are also responsible for taking prudent steps to keep from becoming a victim and for following up with your creditors and law enforcement should you become a victim of identity theft.

You must take action to make sure the criminal activity is stopped and reported to all necessary authorities. You must also work with your creditors and credit reporting agencies to update and correct your credit file to help protect yourself against any long-term financial damage.

But much help is available. Federal, state and local authorities are on your side. Police agencies in Wisconsin are learning a great deal about identity theft and prosecutors are committed to fight it in the courts.

General Information
If you think you have become a victim of identity theft, it is extremely important for you to act quickly and thoroughly.

According to a Privacy Rights Clearinghouse study in 2000, the average consumer victim spends 175 hours and $800 resolving identity theft problems. It may take some victims two years or more to resolve problems with their credit reports.

Once you have determined that you may have been a victim of identity theft, you should take ALL the actions outlined on this Web site. Combating identity theft includes a form for filing a complaint and a checklist of other action steps that are highly recommended.

Victim's Checklist
If you are an identity theft victim, take the following steps:

1) Contact each of the three major credit reporting agencies and request that a fraud alert be placed in your credit file.

  • Equifax, P.O. Box 740250, Atlanta, Ga. 30374-0250, (800) 525-6285 or www.equifax.com
  • Experian, P.O. Box 1017, Allen, Texas 75013, (888) 397-3742 or www.experian.com
  • TransUnion, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, Calif. 92634, (800) 680-7289 or www.transunion.com
2) Contact companies that provided credit or anything else of value to the thief who stole your identity.
  • Immediately call the companies, banks, etc. who have extended credit in your name.
  • After you contact the police, follow up with a letter to the credit companies explaining that you did not make the charges on your statement or that you never requested new credit that was issued through fraudulent use of your identity.
  • Include in the letter all factual information such as statements or other documents that back you up.
  • Include a copy of your police report and a fraud affidavit.
3) Contact your local police or sheriff's department and make a report. Be sure to record the report number.
  • Explain how your identity was stolen.
  • Provide them with copies of statements or other documents that support your case.
4) Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) to report the theft of your identity. The FTC is the national clearinghouse for identity theft information. 5) At the FTC Web site or at the Equifax Web site, download the universal fraud affidavit, fill it out and submit it to applicable creditors. 6) After making telephone contact with the credit reporting agencies, follow up with a letter that:
  • Explains that someone has stolen your identity and what actions the thief has taken
  • Gives factual information, including copies of statements, documents and police reports that back you up
  • Requests that a fraud alert be placed in your credit file
  • States that credit should not be granted unless you or your spouse is contacted for verification
7) Depending on the nature of the fraud, you may want to contact the following organizations in addition to those listed above:
  • Social Security Administration - if your Social Security number has been used in an unauthorized manner, call the Fraud Hotline at (800) 269-0721 or access the Web site: www.ssa.gov
  • Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles - if a motor vehicle is involved
  • Local Post Office and United States Postal Inspection Service - if mail or a change of address is involved. Access the Web site: http://www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect/fraud/IdentityTheft.htm
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation - if fraudulent activity extends across state lines: www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/territory.htm
  • United States Secret Service - if counterfeit checks are involved www.ustreas.gov/usss/
  • U.S. Department of State for lost or stolen passport. www.state.gov
  • Internal Revenue Service or Wisconsin Department of Revenue if fraudulent tax returns are involved. Access the Federal Web site: www.irs.gov

Resources
The primary federal clearinghouse for identity theft information is the Federal Trade Commission. Its Web site is www.consumer.gov/idtheft/.

After visiting this Web site, you should also consider these Web sites for additional information on identity theft. Several publications are available, including:

Other helpful Web sites on identity theft include: