Change for Fraud Alert Phone Numbers

[kb9tbq]

In a move to provide consumers with another tool in the fight against identity fraud, the nation's credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion; are going to simplify the way victims notify them about the crime.
Starting today, by making only one toll-free call to any of the nationwide credit reporting companies, identity theft victims can be confident that one phone call will result in all three taking the same aggressive steps to help protect their credit information. "We will continue to work with victims to ease their burdens, to partner with lenders to prevent additional identity fraud from occurring, and to support law enforcement's need for additional resources to properly investigate the crime and prosecute criminals," Pratt said. He noted that efforts appear to be working. One reflection of that is that the Federal Trade Commissionís recent reports from their ID Theft Clearinghouse (1-1.877.ID.THEFT or 1.877.438.4338) indicate that more victims than ever are identifying the crime in a short period of time, which reduces the extent of the harm. He added that the national credit reporting companies report that more calls are now fielded from consumers wanting information on how to protect themselves from ID fraud than from those who are victims of the crime.

The credit reporting companies' fraud assistance departments can be contacted at the following numbers. A single call to just one of these numbers is all that a victim needs to make:

Equifax.................(888) 766-0008
Experian................(888) 397-3742
TransUnion..............(800) 680-7289

[sisflomi]

Don't you only have to call one and its reported to the others? Is doing an Afidavit the only way to do this with FTC? You can call or nothing huh?

[kb9tbq]

Yes calling one will automatically alert the other 2 CRAs, I am not sure if by alerting one though that you get the free credit reports from the other 2. I figure it is safer to call all of them just to be sure.

The ID Theft Affidavit is a one time form created by the FTC but for use to notify creditors.

Common is that for every creditor that you call; they will each have their own affidavits and process which usually also includes sending them a copy of a filed police report (or forwarding report number with the name of the police department). The one created by the FTC is hopefully going to accepted on a regular basis by all companies (it is not quite there yet, but gaining in popularity).

You still want to call the FTC and log your id theft problem with them, they can't do anything to help you legally, but they are the ones that take the stats and make changes in the laws that help consumers. If they get enough calls in a years time, then that puts a fire under them for new legislation to be passed.

[sisflomi]

The reason I ask is, even though its too late for me and bf to do anything with any accounts that might have been opened with our id theft. My niece had her enitre purse stolen, it had "her life" inside it as she put it. She knows it was stolen, as someone broke the window out of her friends car and took all the girls' purses. Her life, would include her checking, savings, cc's, atm card, check book, even her birth certificate!! These young girls!!! They didn't get her current address nor her dl, as she still had her parents address on all her info, and she had dl w/her at the club. I sent in fraud alerts for her to exp, so I will do the same for the other two. I also had her fill out the papers and am going to have her go get them notorized this week. We called all the cc's and got them canceled.

Now I am not sure what else we might need to do. I see that one cc is now reporting with the new number, but the old one still shows w/balance and says nothing about being stolen. Do we have to dispute that with cras? Or should I make her stay on top of creditors to get it taken care of. Should it report the balance?

[kb9tbq]

keep a note book and track dates; times; and names of people spoken to on this issues.

There is so much more here to cover:

File police report - get the credit reports - go back to the police station and update with names of creditors and account numbers. Get a copy of this report.

Call all creditors get the fraud addresses, send by mail copy of police report / ID Theft affidavit, and letter disputing that these accounts are to be closed. Have to write in to protect their rights in this matter in case something might happen later.

Make sure that all new credit cards are password protected / or pin numbers. Also make sure that they opt - out with all creditors so that they will not share info with 3rd parties or affiliates.

Make sure they forward confirmation of their findings in the matter, let them know the credit report needs to be updated. To reflect the old accounts as zero balance with notation of lost or stolen.

You may try to dispute with the CRAs; and bump these, just not certain how they affect the scores once ID Theft is attached to them. Just getting them updated is good for now, don't want to unnessasarily drop her scores trying anything on this part.

Contact SSA; let them know of the matter, that Birth Certificate was stolen.

I have a check list down below of different ID Theft issues; be sure to run through this list to make sure everything is covered.

I am not certain; but most likely would not hurt to contact the court house and ask if they have any additional advise on what to cover when you know the Birth Certificate has been stolen.

I would still contact the DMV and let them know that even though her DL is ok, that someone out there has her personal information and that she wants them to be aware of this should someone try to get an ID in her name!

Also call the utility companies and put them on alert that you don't want them turning on service for any other address then what is on at this time.

My list below has various contact numbers for check services that should be made aware. Have bank CLOSE the checking account and savings account all together. I would even leave off with doing additional service with them, move all together to another bank. This way if they make a mistake it can't go back on you since the account is closed. Go in person to see that they take care of this matter, give them on of the ID Theft Affidavits and police reports for file. So they can't come back on you if they should be unable to stop withdrawls or the sort on the cards fast enough. That is the last thing these girls need is for collections to show up cause the bank messed up.

Oh, and opt out of the additional places like Direct Marketing Association... that is in my bottom list as well. If any of the girls are married; opt - out all prior names and addresses used. I would not take the chance of the person having stolen this information from not being able to get her real address, so would suggest getting a po box at the post office for a bit, so their mail is not obtainable should they go this far.

The thing is to expect the absolute worse and be prepared, no matter how werid or out of reason you think it might be, better safe then sorry, with the way people are getting today in thier gumption.

Ok, pm me you have any other concerns on this,

[C Whitney]

If Eq has my file blocked how do I find out if fraud alert has been placed there?

[kb9tbq]

Blocked in how? what happened that you don't have access to it at this time (is that what you mean)?

This will be hard one to answer, cause if you can't even order your credit report, then you won't have the ability to call them and check directly. May have to write in a request.. give me a bit more info please.

[C Whitney]

I am suing EQ. They have my credit file locked. I can not gain access to it. Not sure if creditors can or not. When I tried to order CR and scores thru MyFico, it said "you EQ credit file is locked" When I try to order a new EQ report through my Credit Watch Gold it says " Manual Intervention is Required Call **********. When I can CRS says "yes, there is an technicality, a supervisor will call you within 24 hrs." I've been waitng for a week, no one calls. There were 4 inq on my TU report from Chase Bank. I didn't apply for credit there. Not sure if those inq are also on EQ, can't look. Wanted to see if they were and also make sure fraud alert is active on EQ. Not sure what to do. No one will talk to me!

http://www.yatoula.com/gif/argent/arg04.gif

[kb9tbq]

Fruad Alert is working correctly though; you are not suppose to purchase Credit Watch Gold - once the alert is in place you are out other then submitting order by mail.

This part is for your potection, when you say fraud, they are locking everthing down for 3 months to allow you time to review your credit and submit disputes in this period of time.

The problem with Fraud Alert though is that; not every one buys this service. You are better off having a victim statement added to the remark section - this one is not a paid for service (all companies pulling will see the statement)!. Of couse lock down from internet access is then 7 years.

You can't have both though. If you want intertnet access, then you must call them to cancel the fraud alert. Really ordering by mail through Equifax is not as bad as TransUnion or Experian - Equifax turn around is within 1 to 3 days.

[kb9tbq]

Ok, once you disputed with one of the CRAs the other 2 CRAs were notified and locked the file down automatically. You should receive a free copy of your credit reports from all 3 of them, if not - call the numbers listed above for all 3 of them.

Your non ability to access Equifax, is that yes they did add the Fraud Alert.

[C Whitney]

Thanks Kb as always you are most helpful!

[kb9tbq]

Sorry you had to learn the hard way on them fraud alerts; they are really there to protect you, if you have not recieved your Free credit reports from Equifax TransUnion or Experian. Might as well call all the numbers listed above to get them sent out to you.