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Protect Yourself from Identity TheftMore than five million Americans have had their identity stolen from September 2004 through March of 2005. Many don't know what to do to protect themselves from identity theft, or what to do if they have been a victim of identity theft.
One way to protect yourself and your credit from identity theft is to contact the three national credit bureaus and request a fraud alert. This places a warning on your credit report, which is effective for ninety days, which is designed to raise suspicion if any unusual spending activity takes place in your name. Another way to safeguard your credit is to contact your credit card merchants and request that they stop sending the convenience checks which are often enclosed with your statement, and can be stolen from your mailbox. You also may wish to consider using a post office box or a mail box with a locking mechanism to deter the theft of mail.
Your state may also have laws allowing you to place a "freeze" on your credit. Under these laws you can freeze access to your credit report by contacting the three national credit reporting agencies, and requesting, for a ten dollar fee each, that they place a "freeze" on access to your credit report, which freezes access to you credit report until you unlock it using a pin number. Therefore, if an identity thief attempted to apply for credit in your name, they would be unable to access your credit report without your pin number.
If you suspect that you may have been a victim of identity theft, contact our office to learn more about how to minimize the harm and repair your credit. 717-757-4565
