What if I Have Been a Victim of Fraud?
If you find that you have been a victim of fraud and possible
Identity Theft, the following steps should be taken:
- Place a fraud alert on your credit report and review your
credit reports. Credit reports may be requested for free from
www.annualcreditreport.com or call
1-877-322-8228.
- Contact your Bank and close accounts where information has been
compromised and ask your Bank what further steps you need to
take.
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by going to
their website www.ftc.gov/idtheft or call 1.877.ID-THEFT
(438.4338).
- File a "Miscellaneous Incidents" report at a police station
where the identity theft occurred, and get a copy of the police
report. It can help you deal with creditors who need proof of
the crime.
In addition to these steps, further steps may need to be taken
for specific types of fraud.
Reporting Check Fraud
Check fraud describes a number of activities including, but not
limited to, counterfeiting, and forgery.If you are a victim of
check fraud, it is in your best interest to immediately
contact:
- Check service companies- These companies gather information on
returned checks and report that information to their customers.
Visit TeleCheck website for forgery forms and reporting. TeleCheck® How to Report Check Fraud - by First
Data
- Chexsystems Inc. - ChexSystems Lost or Stolen Check Hotline
800.428.9623 (this alerts retailers and other banks to the missing
checks or information.) You can also contact ChexSystems to order a
copy of your consumer report, dispute any information you
believe may be inaccurate or incomplete, and/or place a Consumer Reported Identity Theft Security
Alert on your file.
Reporting a Phishing Scam
Remember, security tools such as PIN numbers and passwords help
keep your transactions safe. Keep them private. Learn more
about how to protect your personal and financial information at http://www.phishinginfo.org/.
- If you provided account numbers, PINs or passwords to a
phisher, notify the companies with which you have those accounts
immediately.
- Even if you were not victimized, you should report phishing to
the company or agency that was being impersonated and to the
National Consumers League's National Fraud Information Center, http://www.fraud.org/ or toll-free
800-876-7060. The TDD number is 202-835-0778.
Reporting a Lottery Scam that You Received Through the US
Postal Service
- Contact your local Post Office for any scam that you received
through the US Postal Service
- Or contact the US Postal Inspection Service at
1.888.877.7644.
Reporting Internet Crime
Internet crime complaints may be reported to http://www.ic3.gov/