How to Fight Identity Theft

Identity theft is a growing problem. It is not that difficult for someone to assume your identity. When they get in trouble with money or the law, you might be in trouble as well. You could also be contacted the IRS for back taxes that you don't personally owe. If you want to learn how to fight identity theft, read the following article.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. The first step is to protect your personal documents. Be careful what you carry in your wallet. Don't carry your birth certificate and social security card on you. Instead, place them in a secure place where nobody will be able to get to them.

2. The second step is to be careful what you throw away. If you throw away bank statements or other important financial documents. It is possible that somebody could dig through your trash and find them.

3. If you have become a victim of identity theft, the first thing you should do is place a fraud alert on each of your credit reports. If the fraud is on one of your credit cards, then you should contact the company and let them know that there has been fraud on your account.

4. Visit the FTC website where they have further steps to take to protect your identity. The link for the page is at the end of this article.

5. Make a packet of your personal information so you can prove who you are. If you are already a victim of identity theft, take the documents to the police to ward off any future arrests. You can ask the police to make a miscellaneous report so that if anything happens you have a report already on file with the police.

Resources

• FTC's Identity Theft Page