Identity thieves can strike quickly and without warning. That is why it is very important that you know how to protect yourself and combat identity theft if it happens to you.

What is Identity Theft?

Any of the following actions can indicate that your identity has been stolen.

• You are denied credit.
• You find charges on your credit card that are not yours.
• Your credit card bills stop coming.
• You have had personal information stolen from you.
• You see something wrong with your credit report.
• A debt collector calls about debt you do not owe or know about.

If targeted, quickly take the following steps:

Step One: Act quickly

If your identity is stolen, make sure you act quickly. You need to file a report with your local law enforcement agency and, if the theft did not take place where you live, the agency near where the theft took place.

Step Two: Close your accounts

Close all accounts under your name that have been tampered with or opened without your consent. Also, if there are fraudulent charges or debts on your account or if a new account has been opened without your permission, immediately file a fraud report with your bank’s fraud department. When you open a new bank account, make sure you create a new PIN and password. 

Step Three: Initiate a fraud alert

Make sure you place a fraud alert on your credit file and also review your credit report. A fraud alert will prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name.  Also, contact the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to issue a fraud alert and minimize the potential damage to your credit.

Step Four: Apply for a ID Theft Passport

Right after you have filed a police report, ask your local law enforcement agency to enroll you in the Identity Theft Verification Passport, a unique program created by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which provides victims of identity theft a method of demonstrating to law enforcement and creditors that their identity has been stolen.

Step Five: Fixing specific problems

For information on how to solve specific Identity Theft questions, please visit our identity theft FAQ page.

Step Six: File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission

The Federal Trade Commission is the federal consumer protection agency. The FTC, in conjunction with the FBI, maintains an Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse. The FTC aids identity theft investigations by collecting complaints from identity theft victims and sharing the information with law enforcement agencies, credit bureaus, companies where the fraud took place and other government agencies. File a complaint with the FTC by going to www.ftc.gov/idtheft or by calling its toll-free number: (877) ID-THEFT (438-4338).

Links

Responding to ID Theft FAQs – Ohio Attorney General’s Office

ID Theft Passport Program FAQs – Ohio Attorney General’s Office

Fighting Back Against Identity Theft – Federal Trade Commission