Identity Theft

&

 Debt Collection Abuse

Are debt collectors calling you out of the blue harassing you and demanding payment on credit card bills or other debts of which you have no recollection? Have you applied for a credit card, lease, mortgage, or car loan only to find that you were denied credit due to a low credit score or a history of unpaid bills, even though you have paid your bills on time? If this is happening to you, you may be a victim of identity theft.

Identity theft occurs in many ways, but it has become a major issue with the widespread use of the Internet and the ease with which many people give out their personal information online. Identity theft may also occur when you use your check card or credit card, write personal checks, apply for credit cards, etc. The list goes on and on and will continue to grow as technologies improve and new schemes to steal your identity are devised.

There are several preventative measures that you can take in order to prevent identity theft from happening to you.

• Monitor your credit report frequently and carefully to make sure that there are not any unexpected reports or credit cards, debts, loans, etc that you do not recognize;

• Monitor your monthly credit card statements and make sure that you recognize and authorized every charge listed;

• Use the Internet carefully and only give your personal information if you must, to trustworthy reputable sources that you have used before;

•  Always make sure that you only enter personal information, if you must, on websites that are encrypted with an SSL certificate. Most SSL certificates are identified with a gold padlock, usually located on the lower right hand side of the screen with Internet Explorer 6.0 and in the upper right hand corner of Internet Explorer 7.0;

• Guard your credit cards and account numbers carefully, especially the three or four digit authorization codes;

• Keep your credit cards in closed wallets and be wary of photographing devices, including cell phone cameras that can take quick pictures of your credit cards, especially in check out lines;

• Be careful of e-mail scams. There are dozens of e-mail scams that ask you to provide personal information. Generally, if you have any doubts as to the source of the e-mail or the contents contained in it, do not open the e-mail, respond to it, or download anything in it.

If someone has already stolen your identity, your credit card numbers, or your social security number, you should take the following steps:

Contact the three major credit bureaus:

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 (http://www.equifax.com)

• Experian: 1-888-397-3742 (http://www.experian.com)

• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289 (http://www.transunion.com)

• Ask the credit bureaus to place a “Fraud Alert” in your profile;

• Write to the credit card companies to inform them that someone has stolen your credit card information and has made unauthorized purchases. Have the credit card companies close your credit card accounts if you believe that someone has obtained your credit card numbers and authorization codes;

• Report identity theft to your local police department;

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission;

• Take detailed notes documenting all your communications and steps you have taken to resolve your identity theft issues; If a debt collector is trying to collect on a credit card account that you believe was obtained through identity theft, do not pay anything toward it;

You should dispute the debt in writing and explain to the credit card companies that you did not make the charges and that you are a victim of identity theft. If you need help stopping debt collectors from trying to collect a debt that you do not owe, please contact an attorney in your state located on the attorney directory page.