CONTACT ONE OF THE CREDIT BUREAUS:
If you believe you are the victim of identity theft, please contact one of the three major credit bureaus, place a fraud alert on your credit report, and review your credit reports. The credit bureaus recently agreed to exchange information. By contacting one credit bureau, the other two will automatically be notified:
FRAUD ALERTS: There are two types of fraud alerts. The first is an initial alert which will last at least 90 days. When you place an initial alert on your credit report, you are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. An extended alert stays on your credit report for 7 years and requires additional documentation.
CREDIT FREEZE: You may want to consider a credit freeze, known in Texas as a security freeze. The freeze is a powerful tool to prevent further instances of identity theft. At this time it is available only to victims of identity theft, but we are hoping to expand this to all residents during the next legislative session. Approximately 25 states now offer credit freezes which do not allow anyone to open a new credit account without your permission. The specific requirements for a security freeze are listed on each of the credit reports under the Consumer Rights section.
FILE A POLICE REPORT:
If you believe you are the victim of Identity Theft, you can file a police report with the Lytle Police Department by calling the Non-Emergency Number (830) 772-3149. An officer can come to your location to take the report. If you live outside the city and the transactions or events did not occur in the city you may be referred to another law enforcement agency having jurisdiction
An investigator will review your report and, if assigned for follow-up, an investigator will contact you. Please note that due to the volume of reports received, jurisdictional issues (where did the crime occur), availability of solvability factors, and limitations on available resources, not all reports of this type of criminal activity are assigned to an investigator for follow-up.
You should retain copies of all correspondence and documentation related to your case.
CLOSE ACCOUNTS YOU KNOW OR BELIEVE HAVE BEEN TAMPERED WITH:
Call or speak with someone in the security or fraud department of your bank or holder of the account. Ask the representative to send you the company's fraud dispute forms.You may also be able to use the Federal Trade Commission's ID Theft Affidavit for this purpose.
CONTACT THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been tasked to compile statistics and assist identity theft victims with resources and information. The FTC victim database is also usedby law enforcement agencies for investigations. The FTC web page provides excellent information for victims entitled
Information Not Legal Advice.This web site has been prepared for general information purposes only. The information on this web site is not legal advice. Legal advice is dependent upon the specific circumstances of each situation.