How to Report Stolen Cards to Credit Agencies
Identity theft is a major concern in the United States. The wide availability of the Internet has led to increased consumer scams. If your credit card is stolen, you need to take swift, proper steps to prevent your identity from being stolen. Notifying the credit bureaus is only one of these steps. Fortunately, this is relatively simple.
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Instructions
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Notify the appropriate parties as soon as you discover the theft. Do not spend an inordinate amount of time looking for the credit card--it's best to simply cancel the card. You can always reactivate a new one.
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Contact your lender first, not the credit bureaus. Your lender is the only one who can cancel a credit line or credit account. Look up the fraud prevention number for your particular lender or call the general customer service number and ask for a fraud specialist. Cancel the card. If you cancel the card soon after the theft, you may only be liable for $50 in unauthorized charges.
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Contact the credit bureaus by phone. You can access a free copy of your credit report online at Annual Credit Report, but you'll want to speak with a credit agent at one of the following companies: Trans Union, Experian or Equifax.
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Ask the credit agent if any new accounts were opened under your Social Security number since the theft occurred. If any unauthorized credit accounts were opened, you'll need to place an immediate freeze on your account and report a case of identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission.
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Pull a recent copy of your credit report online from the Annual Credit Report website. You'll want this report for comparison later down the road. Collect copies of all monthly bills and credit-reportable accounts. The FTC will want to follow up with your complaint and address the identity theft issue.
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