FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT
DATE: MAY 15, 2019
RE: PRESS RELEASE – IDENTITY THEFT
HELP! I’M A VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT
Despite your best efforts to protect yourself, you have become a victim of identity theft. What do you do? The Ulster County District Attorney’s Division of Consumer Affairs advises taking the following steps as soon as possible…
· RECORD KEEPING– Be sure to keep records of all correspondence with the creditors and agencies you contact. Follow up all telephone calls with a letter and keep a copy.
· CREDITORS– Notify all creditors and financial institutions, in writing and by phone, that your name and accounts have been compromised.
· LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT– Immediately file a police or identity theft report with your local police. Get a copy of the report. Credit card companies, banks and credit reporting agencies may require you to show a police report to support your claim that a crime was committed.
· FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT– Report the crime to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.identitytheft.gov.
· THE CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES– Contact the three national credit reporting agencies by phone (Equifax 1-800-525-6285; Experian 1-888-397-3742; Trans Union 1-800-680-7289) or online (www.equifax.com; www.experian.com; www.transunion.com).
· UTILITY COMPANIES– Ask utility companies to watch out for anyone ordering services in your name.
· SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION– if you detect fraudulent use of your social security number, report it to the Social Security Administration at 1-800-269-0271 (www.ssa.gov).
· FBI – if the identity theft was internet-related, file an FBI Internet Crime Complaint at www.ic3.gov.
Consumer Affairs can be reached at 340-3260.
