Remedying the effects of identity theft

As our clients know, the desire to help people was what founded MYBINC and is the reason they continue to exist. We are here to help and protect you, your family and your business, which is why today’s blog post has a focus on protecting you from identity theft, and what to do if you think you’re a victim.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you specific rights when you believe, or are, the victim of identity theft. Mind Your Business would like to focus on six simple steps which will go someway to remedying what is an awful situation, and here they are:

• Ask a nationwide consumer reporting agency to place “fraud alerts” in your file. This will let potential creditors and others know that you may be a victim.
• Obtain free copies of the information in your file. These may help you to detect fraud that may have occured.
• Obtain documents relating to fraudulant transactions or accounts that have been opened in your name. Creditors or other businesses must provide you with this information, if you ask for it in writing.
• Obtain information from a debt collector. This will allow you to gain knowledge on debts that may have occured to you due to fraud.
• Request that information on your file resulting from fraud are removed from your file – you will need an identity theft report to do this.
• Prevent businesses from reporting to consumer reporting agencies those transactions that you believe to be fraudulant.

For more information and details on those six stages, visit the fraud document MYBINC provide on their website. Remember, if you think you are the victim of fraud, take immediate action. The sooner you notify the recommended agencies, the sooner everything can be sorted out.