Guidelines for identity theft victims

John Goolsby has a great, simple sheet of guidelines for victims of identity theft. At the top of the list:

• File a police report;
• Place a fraud alert on each of your credit reports;
• Close any accounts opened fraudulently or that were tampered with; and
• File a complaint with the FTC

After taking those crucial initial steps, spend some time combing through your credit reports looking for inaccurate information. As John advises, always communicate in writing and use certified mail. Keep copies of everything. When you do write, include copies of the police report, an identity theft affidavit, and any relevant documentation you have. Complete their forms if they ask you to.

If that doesn’t work, call John or another consumer lawyer with specialty in the Fair Credit Reporting Act.