STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION
It is always advisable to remain vigilant against the potential for identity theft and fraud and to monitor your accounts and credit reports for any suspicious activity.
Credit Report
Under U.S. law, you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). Obtaining a copy of your credit report from each agency on an annual basis, and reviewing it for suspicious activity, can help you spot problems and address them quickly. You can request your free credit report online at www.annualcreditreport.com or by phone at 1-877-322-8228. You can also request your free credit report by completing the request form at: www.annualcreditreport.com, and mailing it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. You may wish to stagger your requests so that you receive a free report by one of the three credit bureaus every four months.
Fraud Alert
As a precaution against identity theft, you can consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file. A “fraud alert” tells creditors to contact you before opening a new account or changing an existing account. A fraud alert also lets your creditors know to watch for unusual or suspicious activity. To place a fraud alert, call any one of the three major credit reporting agencies listed below. An initial fraud alert remains effective for ninety days, and is free of charge. If you wish, you can renew the fraud alert at the expiration of this initial period. As soon as one credit agency confirms your fraud alert, the others are notified to place fraud alerts on your file.
Equifax®
P.O. Box 105069
Atlanta, GA 30348-5069
1-800-685-1111
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-fraud-alerts
Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013-9701
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com/fraud/center.html
TransUnion®
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016-1000
1-800-680-7289
https://www.transunion.com/fraud-alerts
Security Freeze
Federal law also allows consumers to place, lift or remove a security freeze on their credit reports at no charge. A security freeze prohibits a credit reporting agency from releasing any information from a consumer's credit report without written authorization. Be aware that placing a security freeze on your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prevent the timely approval of any requests you make for new loans, credit mortgages, employment, housing, or other services.
To place a security freeze on your credit report, you must send a written request by regular, certified, or overnight mail at the addresses below to each of the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax (www.equifax.com); Experian (www.experian.com); and TransUnion (www.transunion.com). You may also request the security freeze through each of the credit reporting agencies’ websites or over the phone:
Equifax®
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
1-800-298-0045
https://www.equifax.com/personal/personal/help/place-lift-remove-security-freeze/
Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com/freeze/center.html
TransUnion®
P.O. Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094
1-800-909-8872
https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
In order to request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:
- Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
- Social Security Number;
- Date of birth;
- If you have moved in the past five (5) years, provide the addresses where you have lived over the prior five years;
- Proof of current address such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
- A legible photocopy of a government issued identification card (state driver's license or ID card, military identification, etc.);
- If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft; and
- If you are not a victim of identity theft, include payment by check, money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover only). Do not send cash through the mail.
The credit reporting agencies have three (3) business days after receiving your request to place a security freeze on your credit report. The credit bureaus must also send written confirmation to you within five (5) business days and provide you with a unique personal identification number (PIN) or password, or both that can be used by you to authorize the removal or lifting of the security freeze.
To lift the security freeze in order to allow a specific entity or individual access to your credit report, you must call or send a written request to the credit reporting agencies by mail and include proper identification (name, address, and social security number) and the PIN number or password provided to you when you placed the security freeze as well as the identities of those entities or individuals you would like to receive your credit report or the specific period of time you want the credit report available. The credit reporting agencies have three (3) business days after receiving your request to lift the security freeze for those identified entities or for the specified period of time.
To remove the security freeze, you must send a written request to each of the three credit bureaus by mail and include proper identification (name, address, and social security number) and the PIN number or password provided to you when you placed the security freeze. The credit bureaus have three (3) business days after receiving your request to remove the security freeze.
Additional Information
You may obtain additional information about identity theft by contacting the above, your state Attorney General, or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. You are advised to report known or suspected identity theft to law enforcement, including your state’s Attorney General and the FTC. Under the law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident. If you are the victim of identity theft or fraud, you also have the right to file a police report and obtain a copy of it.
For New York residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at The Capitol, Albany, NY, 12224, ag.ny.gov, or 800-771-7755.
For North Carolina residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699, ncdoj.gov, or 919-716-6000.
For Maryland residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, oag.state.md.us, or 888-743-0023. We can be contacted at 2600 McCormick Drive, Suite 200, Clearwater, FL 33759.
For Rhode Island residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, www.riag.ri.gov, or 401-274-4400.
For District of Columbia residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 400 6th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001, oag.dc.gov, or 202-727-3400.
For New Mexico residents, you have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in your credit file has been used against you, the right to know what is in your credit file, the right to ask for your credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting agencies must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information and the consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information. You may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage you to review your rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf.