Millions of people have their identities stolen each year. If your identity is stolen, someone can open credit card accounts, take out loans or steal money from your checking or savings account. If you don't catch this early, your credit score could be affected, which will take time and hassle to correct. If you believe your identity has been stolen, you should contact one of the major credit-reporting agencies (TransUnion, Equifax or Experian) immediately.
Instructions
1. Call the fraud hotline for one of the major credit agencies. You can reach TransUnion at (800) 680-7289; Equifax at (800) 525-6285; and Experian at (888) 397-3742. You should only have to contact one agency, since the agency you call is required to let the other two agencies know.
2. Tell the representative that your identity has been stolen and that you want to place a fraud alert on your credit report. Give the details of how you became aware that your identity was stolen. You may have to verify personal and financial information to confirm your identity.
3. Ask the representative for the credit agency you call to send you a copy of your credit report so you can review everything. Make sure you're aware of any and all accounts that have been opened using your stolen identity.
