Identity Theft Protection & Recovery Solutions
Frequently Asked Questions
En Español
About Identity (ID) Theft
About Your Credit Report
About Your Credit Score
About Identity (ID) Theft
How can someone steal my identity?
Despite your best efforts to manage the flow of your personal information or to keep it to yourself, skilled identity thieves may use a variety of methods to gain access to your data. They may:
- Steal records or information while they're on the job
- Bribe an employee who has access to these records
- Hack into a business's computer system
- Con information out of employees
- Steal your mail, including bank and credit card statements, credit card offers, new checks, and tax information
- Rummage through trash dumps
- Get your credit reports by abusing their employer's authorized access to them, or by posing as a landlord, employer, or someone else who may have a legal right to access your report
- Steal your credit or debit card numbers by capturing the information in a data storage device in a practice known as "skimming." They may swipe your card for an actual purchase, or attach the device to an ATM machine where you may enter or swipe your card
- Steal your wallet or purse
- Complete a "change of address form" to divert your mail to another location
- Steal personal information they find in your home
- Steal personal information from you through email or phone by posing as legitimate companies and claiming that you have a problem with your account. This practice is known as "phishing" online, or pretexting by phone.
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What are the effects of ID theft?
Once identity thieves have your personal information, they use it in a variety of ways. They may:
- Call your credit card issuer to change the billing address on your credit card account and then run up charges on your account. Because your bills are being sent to a different address, it may be some time before you realize there's a problem.
- Open new credit card accounts in your name. When they use the credit cards and don't pay the bills, the delinquent accounts are reported on your credit report.
- Establish phone or wireless service in your name.
- Open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on that account.
- Counterfeit checks or credit or debit cards, or authorize electronic transfers in your name, and drain your bank account.
- Buy a car by taking out an auto loan in your name.
- Get identification in your name, such as a driver's license, issued with their picture on it.
- Get a job or file fraudulent tax returns in your name.
- Give your name to the police during an arrest. If they don't show up for their court date, a warrant for arrest is issued in your name.
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How can I tell if I'm a victim of ID theft?
If an identity thief opens credit accounts in your name, these accounts are likely to show up on your credit report. To find out, order a copy of your credit reports at www.annualcreditreport.com. Once you get your reports, review them carefully. Look for inquiries from companies you haven't contacted, accounts you didn't open, and debts on your accounts that you can't explain. Check that information, like your Social Security Number, address(es), name or initials, and employers are correct. If you find fraudulent or inaccurate information, get it removed. Continue to check your credit reports periodically, especially for the first year after you discover the ID theft, to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.
Stay alert for other signs of ID theft, like:
- Failing to receive bills or other mail. Follow up with creditors if your bills don't arrive on time. A missing bill could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address to cover his tracks.
- Receiving credit cards that you didn't apply for.
- Being denied credit, or being offered less favorable credit terms, like a high interest rate, for no apparent reason.
- Getting calls or letters from debt collectors or businesses about merchandise or services you didn't buy.
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What is "pretexting" and what does it have to do with ID theft?
Pretexting is the practice of getting your personal information under false pretenses. Pretexters sell your information to people who may use it to get credit in your name, steal your assets, or to investigate or sue you. Pretexting is against the law.
Pretexters use a variety of tactics to get your personal information. For example, a pretexter may call, claim he's from a survey firm, and ask you a few questions. When the pretexter has the information he wants, he uses it to call your financial institution. He pretends to be you or someone with authorized access to your account. He might claim that he's forgotten his checkbook and needs information about his account. In this way, the pretexter may be able to obtain personal information about you such as your Social Security Number, bank and credit card account numbers, information in your credit report, and the existence and size of your savings and investment portfolios.
Keep in mind that some information about you may be a matter of public record, such as whether you own a home, pay your real estate taxes, or have ever filed for bankruptcy. It is not pretexting for another person to collect this kind of information.
By law, it's illegal for anyone to:
- Use false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or documents to get customer information from a financial institution, or directly from a customer of a financial institution.
- Use forged, counterfeit, lost, or stolen documents to get customer information from a financial institution, or directly from a customer of a financial institution.
- Ask another person to get someone else's customer information using false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or using forged, counterfeit, lost, or stolen documents.
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How long can the effects of ID theft last?
It's difficult to predict how long the effects of ID theft may linger. That's because it depends on many factors, including the type of theft, whether the thief sold or passed your information on to other thieves, whether the thief is caught, and problems related to correcting your credit report.
Victims of ID theft should monitor their credit reports and other financial records for several months after they discover the crime. Victims should review their credit reports once every three months in the first year of the theft, and once a year thereafter. Stay alert for other signs of ID theft. Don't delay in correcting your records and contacting all companies where fraudulent accounts were opened. The longer the inaccurate information goes uncorrected, the longer it will take to resolve the problem.
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Should I use a credit monitoring service?
There are a variety of commercial services that, for a fee, will monitor your credit reports for activity and alert you to changes to your accounts. Prices and services vary widely. If you're considering signing up for a service, make sure you understand what you're getting before you buy. Also check out the company with your local Better Business Bureau, consumer protection agency and state Attorney General to see if they have any complaints on file.
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ID theft is a serious crime. What can I do if I'm a victim?
If you think your identity has been stolen, here's what to do:
- Contact the fraud departments of any one of the three consumer reporting companies to place a fraud alert on your credit report. The fraud alert tells creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. You only need to contact one of the three companies to place an alert. The company you call is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report, too. Once you place the fraud alert in your file, you're entitled to order free copies of your credit reports, and, if you ask, only the last four digits of your Social Security number will appear on your credit reports.
- Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Use the ID Theft Affidavit (PDF, 56 KB) when disputing new unauthorized accounts.
- File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the ID theft took place. Get a copy of the report or at the very least, the number of the report, to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
- File your complaint with the FTC at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/.
The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we can better assist you. Remember to get help soon. Contact your local state Attorney General's office, the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission (1-877-IDTHEFT).
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How can I protect myself from ID theft?
Americans spend millions of hours each year resolving problems related to ID theft. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to prevent an ID take-over.
- Don't leave your wallet or statements lying around-even at home.
- Keep track of your credit card receipts and carbons. Photocopy both sides of every card you carry so you know who to contact if your cards are lost or stolen.
- Review all account statements carefully and pull a credit report periodically to quickly spot suspicious entries. Also, don't forget to take an occasional inventory of your wallet.
- Never tell anyone your card number over the phone, unless you initiate the phone call. Watch out for solicitors that harass you to contribute or use strong emotional appeals.
- Never allow your credit card number to be used as identification for a check. Remove your Social Security Number from your driver's license and checks.
- Collect your mail regularly, destroy unwanted solicitations of credit, and opt out of direct marketing lists.
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About Your Credit Report
What if I don't know who or how much I owe?
Your credit reports will help. Information on your report will include the names of your creditors, the account numbers, who is responsible for making the payment, the date the account was opened, and the date the information was reported. Other information may include the high credit amount, the correct balance, the amount of the payment, the type of account, and the status of the account, including historical information.
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What Personal information is in my credit file?
Credit reports contain personal information that you supply when you apply for credit. This information could include your name, your spouse's name, address, previous addresses, employment, previous employment, Social Security Number and year or date of birth.
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Do public records appear on my report?
Public record information such as bankruptcies, court judgments, disposition of lawsuits, and tax liens may also appear in your credit file.
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If I overdraw my bank account, does it affect my report?
No. Bank account information is not normally included in your credit report. Many banks and credit unions use ChexSystems to report mishandled accounts. You can request a copy of your ChexSystems file by visiting www.chexhelp.com.
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How long does information stay in a credit file?
As a general rule, information remains in your credit file for 7 years from the date of last activity or the date the document was filed with the courts. For example, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy would remain in your file for 7 years from the filing date.
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Why are there items on my report longer than 7 years?
There are some exceptions to the 7 year timeframe. For example, Bankruptcy Chapters 7, 11, and 12 will remain in the file for 10 years from the date filed. Open charge accounts will remain in the file indefinitely, or 7 years from the date the account is closed. "As Agreed/Closed" accounts should not damage your credit score and may remain in your file for 10 years.
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What happens when I pay a collection, judgment, or tax lien?
When a collection, judgment, or tax lien is paid it will not be removed from your credit file. It will be updated to show it has been paid. It will have the word "Satisfied", "Released", or "Paid" beside it.
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How do I remove an item after the timeframe has passed?
When accounts reach the time limit listed above, they are automatically purged from your credit file. No action is necessary on your part.
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What about repair clinics that promise to remove bad credit?
Buyers beware! If an organization claims it can remove negative, but accurate credit information from your credit report, they are either lying or committing fraud. Consumers can dispute inaccurate information directly with the credit reporting agency for free or at minimal cost. No one can legally remove accurate negative information from your credit report. A dispute form will be included when you order your credit report.
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Who can look at my credit file?
Section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) sets forth requirements, called "permissible purposes," that must be met before anyone can inquire into your confidential credit file. A few of the most common permissible purposes are:
- In response to the order of a court or a Federal grand jury subpoena
- For the extension of credit or insurance
- To review or pursue collection of an account
- For employment purposes or to grant a license
- To establish eligibility for a government benefit
- In response to a request by a child support enforcement agency
You can find the complete text of the FCRA by visiting the Federal Trade Commissions website www.ftc.gov.
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Why are there so many inquiries on my report?
There are two types of inquires. The first type of inquiry is initiated by a creditor who may wish to grant you credit (called "prescreening"). These inquiries do not affect your credit worthiness and will not be seen by potential creditors. However, they will appear on your report because you have a right to see all types of inquiries on your file. The second type of inquiry, where you initiated the application for credit, will appear on your report as well as any potential creditor's report.
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How long do inquires remain on my report?
Inquiries remain on file for 2 years.
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What if I have a common name?
It's very important to use your full legal name (not nicknames or first initials), include generation such as junior, senior, II, III, or IV if appropriate. Fill out all requested information on the credit applications, including your date of birth, current address, and previous addresses. If a mixed file should occur, simply fill out a dispute form explaining the situation and mail it to the agency that reported the information.
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How often should I review my report?
Experts recommend reviewing your credit report at least once each year and prior to making any major purchase. If you've been a victim of fraud or have a common name, you may wish to view your report more frequently. You might wish to purchase a monthly monitoring service.
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About Your Credit Score
What is a credit score?
Generally, credit scores are a representation of your creditworthiness. Lenders use these scores to determine whether or not to grant you credit. Many factors go into your score, including your payment history, the amount you owe, who you owe, and the length of your credit history. The number of times you apply for credit also can affect your score.
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Why does my score matter?
Lenders use credit scores to determine whether or not to grant you credit. Your score also dictates how much you will pay for the credit you acquire. For example, someone with a high credit score will probably qualify for loans with lower interest rates than someone with less-than-perfect credit.
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Why don't I have a score?
If you have little or no experience using credit, there is no history to judge your future creditworthiness. To establish a credit history, you might consider applying for a secured credit card through your bank or credit union.
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Is there more than one type of score?
Yes, different lenders have different criteria for approving loans. Therefore, lenders use a variety of credit scores (many are even customized).
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What is a CreditXpert Score?
The CreditXpert Credit Score™ is the only credit score designed specifically for consumers. A conventional three-digit representation of a consumer's creditworthiness, it provides a reference point for consumers to see how their credit changes over time and how different actions impact their buying power. Consumers need a comparative score to understand just how lenders are likely to view them-no matter what scoring model is used.
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How can I get my credit score?
Scores cost $4.50 and can be added to any credit report from Experian®, Equifax®, or TransUnion®.
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What do lenders consider a "good" score?
CreditExpert scores range from 300 to 850. While different creditors have different criteria for approving credit, a score over 700 is generally considered by most lenders to be "good." Of course, the higher the score, the better.
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How can I improve my score?
CreditXpert presents the positive and negative factors influencing your credit in order of importance, making it easy to determine ways to improve your score. CreditXpert will also tell you where you rank among the rest of the U.S. population.
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How many inquires will hurt my score?
When you request credit, the lender will pull a copy of your report resulting in an inquiry. Multiple, frequent inquiries can negatively affect your score.
Inquiries generated by creditors considering whether or not to solicit your business will appear on your report, but do not affect your score in any way.
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Does pulling my credit report hurt my score?
No. You can pull your own credit report as often as you wish without affecting your credit score.
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How often does my score change?
As information is updated by your lenders, your score will change. Therefore, your score can vary from day to day; however, most scores do not change more than a few points each month.
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Helpful Links
Better Business Bureau
www.bbb.org
Federal Citizen Information Center
www.pueblo.gsa.gov
Federal Trade Commission
www.ftc.gov