Take steps if your information is compromised

Scammers try to prevent you from making logical decisions. Learning about fraud and scams is your first step to preventing them. If you are a victim, you need to act quickly. File an identity theft report if necessary and take these steps:

1. Contact the company where you think the fraud happened and ask them to close or freeze the account. Change PINs and passwords as necessary.
2. Contact one of the credit bureaus to place a free 90-day fraud alert on your account. That bureau will contact the other two.
   • Equifax: www.equifax.com/creditreportassistance Links to an external site.
   • TransUnion: www.transunion.com/fraud Links to an external site.
   • Experian: www.experian.com/fraud Links to an external site.
3. Report the crime at the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov Links to an external site. to file an identity theft report to make a recovery plan.
4. Call the police to report the crime.

From there, you will start the process of removing charges, closing accounts and stopping debt collectors. Keep detailed records of all correspondences during this long and tedious process. Consult the IdentifyTheft.gov Recovery Plan Links to an external site. and use the Identify Fraud Crisis Checklist Links to an external site. for help.

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