 Identity Theft
Fraud Alert
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Credit Agencies Have Simplified the Process for Reporting Identity
Theft!
As
of April 16, 2003, the three nationwide credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian
and TransUnion, have made it easier for identity theft victims. Now you
need only call one of the three bureaus, and they'll notify the others.
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Credit bureau phone numbers to place a fraud alert |
Call just one to report identity theft!
Equifax 1.(800) 525-6285
Experian 1 (888).397-3742
TransUnion 1 (800) 680-7289 |
The ID Fraud
Initiative
Each
company follows a standardized three-step process to post a security alert
on the credit file, opt the victim out of preapproved offers of credit or
insurance and mail the victim a copy of his or her credit file.
When you call the credit bureau, here's what happens...
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The company receiving your call issues an electronic notification to the
other two credit reporting companies of the crime
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A fraud alert is put on your
credit report at all three nationwide credit reporting companies within
24 hours;
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You, as the victim, will be opted out of all preapproved offers of
credit and insurance for two years;
- The credit bureau
will process your
request for a copy of your free credit report within three business
days.
Note: For a small charge, you can get all 3 bureaus in an instant
online credit report
here, and you need not be an identity
theft victim.
Deleting Fraudulent Data from
your Credit Report
Each of the three
national credit reporting companies will work with the you to verify
information in their respective credit reports and to delete any
fraudulent data.
File a Police Report, Get
Immediate Credit Report Corrections!
If you file a police
report, the process is even quicker. The credit reporting companies will
voluntarily expedite services for victims by
immediately deleting fraudulent data without the usual reinvestigation
procedure.
What happens with a Fraud Alert?
The fraud alert is
displayed by each national credit reporting agency to all lenders or other
users that access your credit reports in the future. Once notified a
consumer has been a victim of ID fraud, lenders can then avoid opening a
fraudulent account.
Read the
ID Fraud Initiative Press Release
from the
CDIA (Consumer Data Industry Association) |
