Record Keeping is Essential to ID Theft Recovery

Recovering from identity theft fraud may only take a few hours of your time or, if the crime goes undetected for an extended length of time, it could take weeks or months, sometimes years to clear your name. Regardless if the process is a long one or a short one, good record keeping is essential to track and follow up on your actions and record the responses you receive from the people and organizations you contact.

Here are the basics:

• Maintain a log of all the phone calls and conversations you have, including the date and time of the conversation, the name of the person you spoke with, a contact phone number, and what the resolve was of the conversation. In other words, document who is going to do what and by what date.
• Confirm all conversations in writing, noting the specific actions discussed. Send mailed correspondence using certified mail with a return receipt requested as proof of delivery. If correspondence occurs via email, don’t delete them! Print them out and keep them on file with all other documents.
• Request written confirmation of actions that other people said they would take. For example, if a creditor says that fraudulent charges will be removed from your account, get it confirmed in writing.
• Keep copies of everything and, when you are asked to send evidence or paperwork you have collected, only provide copies, not originals.
• Don’t assume it’s ‘over’ even when it’s over. Keep all of your records, even after all outstanding issues have been resolved. You may need to resubmit information or discover new fraudulent charges long after your identity theft restoration is complete.