What to do if you
become a victim:

• Keep a detailed history of the crime.
• Keep a log of all your contacts and make copies of documents.
• Contact all creditors by phone and in writing to inform them of the problem.
• Notify the US Postal Inspector if your mail has been stolen or tampered with. www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect.
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report the problem www.ftc.gov. The FTC is the federal clearinghouse for complaints by victims of identity theft. The FTC helps victims by providing information to help resolve financial and other problems that could result from identity theft. Their hotline number is 1-877-438-4338.
• Send a courtesy notice to your creditors alerting them to the identity theft (sample letter on back).

• Request that a copy of your credit report be sent to you.
• Contact each of the three Credit Bureaus fraud units (listed below) to report the Identity Theft. Ask to have a “Fraud Alert/Victim Impact” statement placed in your credit asking that creditors call you before opening any new accounts.

• Alert your banks to flag your accounts and contact you to confirm any unusual activity. Request a change of PIN and a new password.
• If you have checks stolen or bank accounts set up fraudulently, report it to the following companies:

• Contact the Social Security Administration’s Fraud Hotline 1-800-772-1213
• Contact the State of Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles to see if another license was issued in your name. If so, request a new license number and fill out the BMVs complaint form to begin a fraud investigation process 1-614-752-7600
• If possible, obtain a description of the suspect
• If possible, obtain witness information
• What is the financial loss to you? Attach documentation.