Identity theft can ruin your name in the eyes of credit companies. By law and in the midst of the society, you can become bankrupt in a few hours if you do not act now. The worst case can ensue if you are not suspecting enough and take no notice of the alterations in your credit card report.
Here are some of the few clear manifestations of identity theft:
& #61692; Via your credit card report check for items that you did not purchase or alterations on your information.
& #61692; Getting calls and emails about loan applications or credit card information change that you did not prompt for.
& #61692; You are not getting any mails (e.g. billing statements) because the thieves may have changed the mailing address to prevent you from discovering the crime early.
Here are the steps that you can follow to stop the thief from dealing more damages to your name and financial future:
1. Credit Report Alert
Your credit card report will be one of the few sources of information to know if you already are a victim of identity theft. The importance of this report comes as the thief may be able to change the information of your credit card. Credit card holders are given the right to get a report in case of an identity theft suspicion.
2. Contact the authorities and your banks.
In case of an identity theft suspicion, let every credit card company know this so that no new accounts will be opened in your name. Let the police know also, so that there will be a faster tracking for the thief. You may also file a report to the Federal Trade Commission and the credit card consumer report companies such as Trans Union, Equifax or Experian.
This problem may continue for a specific duration of time. In preparation for further assistance, do record your actions in a timeline and keep a copy of your report mails.
3. Get an Identity Theft Affidavit
Identity theft will give you all the damage that you can think of. It could even stop you from further use of your available accounts if you do not move fast. The Federal Trade Commission can offer an option of issuing an affidavit so that your transactions can pursue with various companies and agencies available.
There is much more to do at different situations. If you have been robbed or lost your credit card, you have to contact the authorities to make the necessary actions as soon as possible. Be aware of your cards, pins, different IDs such as Social Security card and birth certificates to keep them safe always. Remember that most often, you will only discover about the theft when it is already too late to stop it.
The best solution is always immediate action, that which is executed using the right steps. Having a credit card at your fingertips is also having the responsibility of taking good care of it by tracking reports and knowing how to use it wisely. In order to prevent identity theft, be alert.
Author Resource:
This article has been provided by http://www.free-credit-reports.com , where you can compare credit report and identity theft protection services with this comprehensive chart of all credit report and credit score service providers.