When a person becomes the victim of identity theft every moment is important to ensure that serious problems do not occur, which is why people have to know how to react when they suspect their credit has been compromised.
Consumers would be surprised at how much damage control can be done by simply knowing who to notify and what information you may need to provide. That is why we at AutoNet Financial want to outline the proper steps to take that will help you with guarding and monitoring your credit so that you are not a victim of credit theft.
Shut Down All Accounts
The first step that you want to take when dealing with an ID thief is close all your current bank accounts and have them notify you of any attempts to withdraw funds that are made. It's also a good idea to contact all the credit card companies that you have an account with as well, since most expenses that thieves make usually are made with this payment method.
By cutting off the financial access you can limit a great deal of damage done to your funds, while also making sure that you are not held for any charges made in the time span of when your identity was stolen. It also keeps your various auto finance companies aware of the presence of your identity thief.
Alert Credit Bureaus
After you have taken the time to close all of your accounts the next step is making sure that your credit history has not been compromised as well. The best way to go about doing this is to contact the three major credit report bureaus and make them aware of your current situation.
On occasion an ID thief will look to contact Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion as an attempt to change your contact and residential information to make it easier for them to get bad credit auto loans. However, by notifying a credit report agency as soon as possible be sure that they will help in protecting your personal information.
Here is the contact information for each of the credit bureaus you need to contact:
- Experian: (888) 397-3742
- Equifax: (800) 685-1111
- TransUnion: (800) 916-8800
Informing the Federal Trade Commission
Those who are victims of identity theft have entirely different stories and experiences when going through the process, and the FTC is an agency that helps assist these people. They make a point to understand the details of the crime so that they can better educate other consumers about the various tactics used, while also helping to capture those who are responsible for these crimes.
That is why those at SallieMae.com suggest that those dealing with ID theft should contact the FTC as a way to share their experience, and gain the proper federal assistance in capturing the people who prey on others personal credit information.
Here at AutoNet Financial we help people that earn over $1,500 per month, regardless of how long they have been on the job obtain the best bad credit auto finance opportunities. We also offer helpful advice on local loan companies, credit counseling, and how to maintain a great auto financing lifestyle that well help get a vehicle loan today.
