How to Check for ID Theft

As easy as picking your pocket

To protect yourself from identity theft, you need to know where to check and what to look for. Identity thieves use several routes to endanger your financial life. You're bank, credit cards and credit reports are where you can find the signs of identity theft.

Things You'll Need

• Bank statement
• Credit card statement
• Credit report

Instructions

1. Gather your most recent bank statement, credit card statement and credit report. If you don't have any of these things, you should get them from your bank or credit card agency. You may be able to obtain them online or ask your bank who they use for your credit report.

2. Read through the statements carefully. Look for purchases you didn't make or activities you can't explain. Your credit report may show sudden changes without explanation or debts that you never incurred. Look for debits in your bank statement that you don't recognize. Look for purchases in your credit card statement that you don't recognize.

3. Call your bank or credit provider and ask for details on any questionable issues you find. For a purchase you will want to ask what location, city and state it occurred in. Ask for itemizations of debts you don't recognize and their locations as well.

4. Report fraudulent activity as soon as you are certain through your bank, credit provider and the Federal Trade Commission. Visit the FTC website listed in the Resources section for more information on identity theft and what you can do about it.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your financial information and monthly statements together in a file for at least five years.

• The sooner you report identity theft and fraud, the better your chances of repairing or avoiding damage.

References

• Federal Trade Commission

Resources

• Federal Trade Commission