IDENTITY THEFT ISSUES
The following information is provided by the Social Security Administration and pertains to the misuse of a social security number. What To Do If Someone Misuses Your Social Security Number is the title of the pamphlet. This information is provided here for your reference, and use in dealing with victims of Identity Theft.What Should I Do To Report That Someone Is Using My Social Security Number?You should report this information to the Social Security Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271. Depending on the circumstances of your particular case, we may open an investigation. Even if we don't investigate, we're interested in learning how your Social Security number has been used by someone.What If I Have Credit Problems?If someone has used your Social Security number to get credit, Social Security cannot fix your credit record. To resolve your credit problems, you need to:· Immediately contact the creditors who approved the credit (follow up with a letter). · File a police report. · Contact the fraud department of the major credit bureaus. · Ask to have a flag placed on your record, requiring creditors to contact you before approving additional credit using your name and number. Ask how long the flag is posted on your account and how you can extend it, if necessary. · Add a victim's statement to your report; include your name, state the problem and provide a telephone number where you can be reached. · Request a copy of your credit report from each major credit bureau and check for signs of fraudulent activity. If you've been denied credit, you may be entitled to a free copy of your report. If you haven't been denied credit, the most you can be charged is $8.