How to Detect Identity Theft

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Identity theft strikes more than 10 million people in a year. Unlike with other kinds of theft, victims of identity theft are rarely aware that they have been victimized. Fortunately there are warning signs you can look for. If you are vigilant and stay on top of your financial information, then you should be able to catch any identity theft soon after it has occurred. Doing this will allow you to recover your financial information quickly. Follow this article to see how to do this.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Identifying Warning Signs

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  1. You should see whether you can account for all of the withdrawals. If you can’t, then someone could have gained access to your accounts. Check with anyone else who has access to your bank accounts to make sure. Note any suspicious activity for later reference. [1]
    • If you use online banking, then you can check online. If you don’t, then take out your monthly statement and go over all of the withdrawals listed. See if you can identify each one.
  2. Identity thieves sometimes steal people’s mail, in particular their bills. [2] By stealing your bills, they gain access to your account number. They can then use this information to try and gain access to the accounts. Pay attention to whether or not you are receiving your bills.
    • Also note if you receive bills for services you didn’t use. For example, an identity thief might be using your health insurance or getting prescription drugs in your name. If you are billed for medical services you never used, then you could be the victim of identity theft.
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  3. Identity thieves who gain access to your credit cards will make charges. [3] Often, they will run up the bill and max out the card. If your card is suddenly declined, then someone may be using it to make charges.
    • Check your online statement or the paper statement sent to you.
  4. A new form of identity theft involves filing a tax return and getting a refund before the real person files. If you file your tax return and the IRS contacts you about double filing, then you may be the victim of identity theft. [4]
    • The IRS may also tell you that you have income reported for an employer that you didn’t work for. In this situation, your Social Security Number may have been stolen.
    • Because of the rise of this new scam, it is always helpful to file your tax returns early, especially where you anticipate a refund.
  5. A call from a debt collector is a surefire sign that you are probably the victim of identity theft. [5] By the time a debt gets to collections, it is probably overdue by 60 days or more. If you get calls from a debt collector and you know you are not behind on any bills, then you probably are the victim of identity theft.
  6. If you lost your wallet or purse, then you are at an increased risk of identity theft. [6] The thief can quickly access your credit cards for purchases and possibly use your debit cards. Also, if you carry your Social Security Number card around with you, then the thief could open up new accounts in your name.
  7. You may have online accounts with your bank, doctor, credit card company, or retirement account provider. If you receive notification from the company of a data breach, then you could be at risk of identity theft. [7]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Investigating Identity Theft

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  1. To drill down and see if someone has been opening credit accounts in your name, you should get a copy of your credit report. Each person is entitled to one free report a year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies (CRAs). You can request your free copies in one of three ways: [8]
  2. Once you get copies of your credit reports, go through each of them. You should be able to identify all accounts on your credit report. If you see an unfamiliar account—say a car loan or a new credit card—then make note of that fact.
    • Some accounts may appear on only one of the three reports you receive, so you need to go through each of them.
    • Also look to see if accounts are in collections. Someone might be maxing out one of your lines of credit.
  3. To see if you have been the victim of medical identity theft, ask your doctor for a copy of your medical records. Federal law guarantees your right to access them. [9]
    • You should also contact any health care provider who wrote a prescription drug for someone using your name. Also contact the pharmacy that filled the prescription and ask for whatever information they have. [10]
    • Keep a copy of all of your communications. If you talk to someone over the phone, write down their name and the date of the conversation.
    • You may also have to pay a fee for the files, which will be set by the medical provider.
  4. You should contact each health plan and medical provider and ask for an “accounting of disclosures.” This record should list who received copies of your medical records. Federal law allows you one free copy every year. The accounting contains the following information: [11]
    • what information your provider sent
    • when it sent the information
    • who received the information
    • the reason it was sent
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Responding to Identity Theft

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  1. You should immediately contact the police to report the identity theft. Provide them with all of the information requested. Get a copy of the police report, as you will need to share it with different entities, like the IRS or your bank.
    • Contact the FTC. The Federal Trade Commission has created a website, IdentityTheft.org, which contains helpful information for victims of identity theft. You should visit the website and also report identity theft to the FTC.
    • You can report by visiting https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-2 and using the Complaint Assistant. You will begin by clicking on a sub-category: “Identity Theft,” “Attempted Identity Theft,” “Data Breach,” or “I Lost My Wallet.”
    • If you have questions about using the FTC’s Complaint Assistant, you can chat with tech support Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. [12]
  2. A credit freeze can help stop anyone from opening a new credit account in your name. Typically, creditors want to see your credit history before extending a loan or opening a credit card. With the freeze, you block all people from pulling your credit report. [13]
    • You can put a credit freeze in place by calling the three national CRAs. You will need to provide them with your name, address, Social Security Number, date of birth, and possibly additional personal information. Each CRA will charge a small fee ($5-10). [14]
      • To reach Equifax, call 1-800-349-9960.
      • For Experian, call 1-888-397-3742.
      • To reach TransUnion, call 1-888-909-8872.
  3. If someone committed tax-related identity theft, then you should call the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490. [15] They will want to see a copy of your police report, so have that handy.
  4. Medical identity theft is every bit as serious as financial identity theft. Accordingly, you need to clean up inaccurate medical records. You should contact each medical provider that has inaccurate medical information about you in their records. [16]
    • Your letter does not need to be long. However, you should mention the disputed items. For example, you could state, “Looking over the attached records, I see that someone used my identity to procure the prescription drug Avodart. I did not get a prescription for this drug. In fact, I am the victim of identity theft.”
    • Attach copies of the relevant medical records with disputed items circled in red. Also include a copy of your police report. End the letter with a request to remove the information: “As this information is inaccurate, I am requesting that you remove it.”
    • Send the letter certified mail, return receipt requested. [17]
  5. If you use public computers, then you should certainly upgrade your passwords so that they will be harder to hack. A stronger password will have the following characteristics: [18]
    • Be at least eight characters long
    • Not include your real name, user name, company name, or school name
    • Not contain any complete words
    • Should differ markedly from other passwords
    • Contain uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as numbers and symbols (such as !, $, %, etc.)
  6. Thieves can gain access to your computer through malware. If you accidentally open an email from someone you don’t know or download a document from a questionable website, then malware can be installed on your computer. This malware can provide thieves with access to your hard drive and passwords.
    • You should therefore install an antivirus with firewall and also get antispyware protection. [19]
    • Free antispyware exists for download, however, it is often one step behind the thieves. Accordingly, you should look for professional antispyware and antivirus, which allows for constant updating. [20]
    • There are many different brands of security software on the market. Prices generally range from $20 to several hundred dollars.
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      Tips

      • Never provide medical information over the phone unless you initiated the contact. [21]
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      • It is always a good idea to get in the habit of asking anyone who requests your Social Security Number or other personal identification number why they need it and how they intend to keep the information secure. [22] If the person on the other end of the phone has no good answer, then decline to share the information.
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0271-warning-signs-identity-theft
      2. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0271-warning-signs-identity-theft
      3. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0271-warning-signs-identity-theft
      4. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0271-warning-signs-identity-theft
      5. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0271-warning-signs-identity-theft
      6. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0271-warning-signs-identity-theft
      7. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0271-warning-signs-identity-theft
      8. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports
      9. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0171-medical-identity-theft
      1. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0171-medical-identity-theft
      2. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0171-medical-identity-theft
      3. ↑ https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-2
      4. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0497-credit-freeze-faqs
      5. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0497-credit-freeze-faqs
      6. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0008-tax-related-identity-theft#uncovering
      7. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0171-medical-identity-theft#Correcting
      8. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0171-medical-identity-theft#Correcting
      9. ↑ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/tips-for-creating-a-strong-password
      10. ↑ http://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/resources/articles/pc-security/malware-identity-theft#close
      11. ↑ http://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/resources/articles/pc-security/malware-identity-theft#close
      12. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0171-medical-identity-theft#Correcting
      13. ↑ http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0171-medical-identity-theft#Correcting

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