How to Report Identity Theft to the Credit Bureaus
One of your most valuable assets is your personal information and identity. Criminals commit identity theft by obtaining your personal information and using it to establish credit card accounts and loans. Victims of identity theft must act quickly and assertively to minimize the damage. Contacting the three main credit bureaus is an important first step in minimizing the damage.
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Instructions
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Call the three three major credit bureaus and talk to the fraud department to advise them of your identity theft. The three major credit bureaus are Experian at 888-397-3742, Trans Union at 800-680-7289, and Equifax at 800-525-6285.
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Place a fraud alert on your account with the major credit bureaus either on the phone or online. This will flag your credit file for fraud. The credit bureaus attach this to your credit report to advise a lender to contact you before opening a new credit card account. If you cannot be reached the lender will not open the account.
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Request a free copy of your credit report. Placing the fraud alert on your account entitles you to order one free copy of your credit report from each of the three consumer reporting companies. Check the report for any accounts that have been opened that you are unaware of and for inaccurate information. Inform the credit reporting agency and the company that provided the information.
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Tips & Warnings
The three major credit bureaus have agreed to exchange information. By calling any one of the credit bureaus, the others will automatically be alerted.
TransUnion offers an email address to be used by fraud victims only, fvad@transunion.com.
The fraud alert will remain in place for 90 days, at which time you must reactivate the alert.
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