If you suspect that someone has used your name, Social Security Number, or other personal information to get credit or a loan, the following steps can help:
Keep a record.
Because recovering from identity theft can be a long and complicated process, it's important to keep a record of all communications. Send all letters by certified mail and keep copies. If you think your case might lead to a lawsuit, keep track of how much time you spend dealing with the problem.
Call the police.
Report the crime to the police or sheriff's department that has jurisdiction in your case and request a police report. Though the authorities may be limited in what they can do to help, a report may be necessary to help convince lenders that someone else has opened an account in your name.
Check your credit report.
Get your credit report and check for any new accounts opened in your name. Because new accounts may take up to six months to show up on the report, continue to monitor your credit report. Purchase a 3-in-1 Credit Report and see your credit history as reported by the three major credit reporting agencies.
Contact any of the credit reporting agencies.
Contact any one of the three major credit reporting agencies and request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit file.
Subscribe to a credit monitoring service.
These services monitor activity in your credit file. When there are changes to key information, like when someone tries to get credit in your name, you receive an alert. You can then investigate the change to make sure it is not the result of identity theft or fraud.
