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April 11, 2008, Newsletter Issue #47: ID Theft Affidavit Simplifies Reporting Process for Victims
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Tip of the Week
In 2002, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) introduced the ID Theft Affidavit designed to provide identity theft assistance to victims for restoring their good credit histories. The ID Theft Affidavit was developed in cooperation with banks, credit grantors, and consumer advocates to simplify the reporting process by eliminating the need to use a separate reporting form for each fraudulent account opened.
Quick action to report identity theft is essential. It not only stops fraudulent charges from being attributed to your name, it helps protect merchants who become the co-victims of identity theft since they are the ones who are responsible to dismiss your charges without further compensation for their losses. The ID Theft Affidavit streamlines the documentation process and is an acceptable reporting document by most retailers, credit issuers, banks, and other financial institutions.
A copy of the ID Theft Affidavit is available online or you can call 1-877-ID-THEFT.
If you are a victim of identity theft:
Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union) to report the theft and ask for a "fraud alert" to be placed on your file. With a fraud alert, no new credit will be granted without your approval. Close accounts that have been accessed and open new accounts. Contact the security department of each creditor to place passwords on your new accounts. File a police report and ask for a copy or the report number to use as proof of the crime, which some creditors may require. Contact the ID Theft Clearinghouse to report the crime (1-877-438-4338). Counselors will document your complaint and offer valuable advice on how to deal with resulting credit-related problems from ID theft.
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