Identity Theft!
What do I do if my identity’s been stolen?
Strange charges on your credit cards or ATM? Money wired out of your account?
CALL YOUR BANK ASAP
If you wait, there’s a good chance you’ll have to eat the charges. Call as soon as you notice. If you’re not 100% sure, call just in case.
Check all your other accounts (credit cards, checking accounts, brokerage accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, and any other accounts you can think of.)
File a police report (you can do this online in a lot of places.)
Go to www.consumer.ftc.gov and follow their steps to report it in their system, too.
They will tell you to order your credit report. For more tips on that, look at my credit report blog post.
They will tell you to log every phone call you make regarding your identity theft. (Write the name and organization of the person you’re talking to, the exact time of the call, and any info you give or receive. Writing down the phone numbers is often useful, too.)
