GetIDsmart.com After the FACTS

GUIDELINES TO MINIMIZE THE DAMAGE
IF YOU, SOMEONE YOU KNOW OR AN EMPLOYEE SUSPECTS CREDIT CARD FRAUD OR ID THEFT

START THE PROCESS

• Be aware that repairing this crime takes time, patience and energy. This is not something that happens overnight or has instant closure.
• Get organized -Create a folder or binder in which to keep all correspondences, fax receipts, certified mail receipts, etc.
• Log the results of all calls/conversations with Dates, Times, Names and a call back number of the contact who assisted you. It is easy to mistakenly assume you will remember everything and often underestimate the amount of activity that takes place to repair this damage.
• Be patient with law enforcement, they are only one of the entities that process information about this crime. It is simply a fact that departmentally, they will have variations in how this crime is handled.
• Understand that it is not any one place’s responsibility to pursue the criminal who stole your identity. This is a weakness in our economic system and lack of societal understanding.
• Depending on where the fraud took place, your course of action may vary slightly.

CREDIT BUREAUS

• Contact EACH of the Three Credit Bureaus Fraud departments. Request a "HAWK Alert". This is a fraud alert that comes in the form of a statement on your credit file. It should state that you have recently become the victim of fraud and that NO accounts should be issued in your name without a phone call to obtain consent verification. It is a good idea to list a phone number that has quick accessibility to you such as your cell.
• TransUnion- Fraud Victim Assistance Department 800-680-7289
• Experian- 888-397-3742 - Select the Fraud option
• Equifax- Fraud and Active Duty Alert System 888-766-0008
• Get a copy of your credit report from EACH of these agencies, immediately.
• Follow suggested instructions for proceeding with each bureau’s informational needs. Remember your long-term goal is to restore the information they have on record to accurate status.
• Take note-Report inaccurate contact information about you to these bureaus such as current/past addresses, AKA (also known as) names, employment information, etc.
• When you review information for the first time, you may not recognize legitimate accounts. For clarity, the information you are accustomed to seeing on the front of your credit card may differ from the credit issuing company on the back of the card or on the back in small print on your credit card statements. This name will correspond to the name of the account listed on your credit report.
• This is the point to determine if your credit has been compromised. However, activity can take up to 30 days to post to your reports due to cycle time of credit reporting by creditors. Therefore, a clean record today should STILL be monitored closely if you have reason to be suspicious. It is also good practice to routinely get a copy of your credit report, even if you do not suspect fraud.

YOUR LEGITIMATE BANK/CREDIT UNION ACCOUNTS

• Contact every location you have savings or checking, traditional branch style accounts, to see if your legitimate accounts have been compromised and notify them of the issue at hand.
• If any of your legitimate accounts have been compromised, you will likely be requested to file an "Affidavit of Fraud" this is a legal document that you sign stating that you did NOT in fact make the transactions in question. Helpful Tip -Return these affidavits via certified letter to whom the bank designates as the contact person.

FRAUDULENT ACCOUNTS- Based on the fraudulent account information determined by you on your credit report:

• Notify all bank/accounts directly that you wish to have an affidavit on file with their company that a fraud has been committed.
  Again, Helpful Tip -Return these affidavits via certified letter to whom the bank designates as a contact person. Keep the green, signed delivery receipt postcard in your contact file.
• You will also be instructed by the credit bureau to dispute charges via their entity. This "extra" step helps to ensure speedy closure getting the crime stopped if still in process. GetIDSmart.com believes that the sooner the companies are notified the less you have to correct later and the sooner you can repair the damage.

YOUR CREDIT REPORT INQUIRES

• Located on your credit report there is a section called Inquiries. It shows you what potential creditors accessed your report recently with the intent to issue you credit. It can be a good clue to what lies on the fraud horizon. If a credit application has been filed they will make an inquiry.
• If you do not recognize these companies as your own inquiries, seek out the companies they represent and notify them of your fraud situation, a credit application may be pending. You may be able to stop more potential fraud.

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

• Go in person to the local Social Security Administration Office to ask to have your Social Security Contribution amounts verified to ensure no one has collected your Social Security Contributions under false pretenses. You may need to bring your credit report with you to validate your claim.
• If the fraud is significant, on a case-by-case basis it can be evaluated for the purpose of issuing a new SSN to the victim; such as in the case of the spokeswoman for GetIDSmart.com.

POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE

• If Credit Cards have been mailed in your name without your consent, this is considered MAIL fraud. File a report with the local branch of the US Postal Inspection Service. Your local Postmaster should be able to help you find this office. 877-876-2455 - This main number reaches all Postal Inspection Service offices nationwide.

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT FILINGS

• Contact your local LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY to file a report. Public awareness of this crime is creating more visibility for these offices. Some of the more progressive offices have added online report filing options.
• File a complaint with the FTC [FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION] www.FTC.gov/idtheft. They offer additional resources and help track statistics that give victims a unified voice.
• Internet Crime Complaint Center is a partnership between the FBI and a non-profit agency called the National White Collar Crime Center. They provide a complaint process to help CYBER victims."...To further research, develop, and refer the criminal complaints to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement and/or regulatory agencies for any investigation they deem to be appropriate." Their complaint form can be located at www.ic3.gov/complaint.
• Your local library should also be notified. Because you are responsible for the cost of items borrowed, it is important they be made aware for your own protection.

RETRACING YOUR STEPS

• After you have covered the critical steps towards minimizing the challenges ahead, trying to retrace your steps around the time of the first fraudulent activity can be helpful. You may be fortunate enough to find closure especially if the crime is significant, like our GetIDSmart.com spokesperson. However if you consider the thousands of transactions that require our basic identification information, it may be virtually impossible.
• Understand that you are not alone, one in eight, according to 2002 statistics from the FTC, has experienced some form of this type of crime. Since 2002 the crime has continued to be pushed into the forefront of awareness in our daily lives.
• Knowledge is our best defense and that is the reason we launched GetIDsmart.com. Our purpose is to create public awareness of the ways we make ourselves vulnerable daily. Share the ability to GetIDSmart with your friends - click here!

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