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Resource For Staff/Faculty RESOURCES FOR IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS RESOURCES FOR BUSINESS ASSOCIATES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Resources for Identity Theft Victims

If you were notified that your name and social security number was disclosed in error, you should do the following:

  1. Place a freeze on your credit reports with the three credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) - this can prevent credit issuers from accessing your credit files without your permission.  Therefore, no new credit accounts or loans can be obtained without your permission.
    • New Jersey (security freeze rights established by state law)
      Eligibility: All consumers
      Fees: No fee to place the first security freeze. $5 fee to lift the freeze temporarily, remove it altogether, or to have PIN reissued.
      Note: Consumers are also permitted to make such requests directly to consumer reporting
      agencies via secured electronic mail.
      Effective date of law: January 1, 2006 Permanent freeze remains until removal requested by consumer.
    • Copy of New Jersey's security freeze law http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2004/Bills/S2000/1914_R1.PDF
    • Instructions for using New Jersey's security freeze law from NJ's Dept of Banking and Insurance http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/division_consumers/finance/creditfreeze.htm
  2. Monitor your credit reports by obtaining a credit report from the Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion or annual report https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
    • FTC Free Report Guidance http://www.ftc.gov/freereports
    • Know that by monitoring these credit report is not prevention, imposter may slip through the fraud alerts. 
  3. Once you have received your free credit reports as a part of the fraud-alert process, follow up in a few months by taking advantage of your free FACTA copy. We recommend that you order your free credit reports by phone rather than using the online system. Call (877) 322-8228.
  4. Report any fraud/crime to your local police or sheriff's department right away.

What is the best way to order my free reports?
It is recommended to order your free reports by telephone or mail rather than by reporting using the web page. It may lead to exposing you to imposter web sites.
The FTC filed suit against one imposter site and sent warning letters to many others. Some bogus sites lure you in with "free" offers, but just want to sell you products like credit monitoring services. Others are outright frauds that aim to steal your personal information. To read more about fake sites, see www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt130.shtm.
If you still prefer to order your free reports online, make sure you link to the only official web site. The safest way to do this is through the FTC's web site which includes more information on annual reports. www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt156.shtm. Never visit a site you find through a search for terms like "free credit reports," "free credit scores," or "free credit checks."

Am I still entitled to a free credit report if I am unemployed?
Yes, and for other reasons as well. You can still get a free copy of your credit report if you certify to the credit reporting agency that:

  • You are unemployed and intend to apply for employment in the 60-day period beginning on the date you make the certification.
  • Or you receive public welfare assistance.
  • Or you believe your file contains inaccurate information due to fraud.

FACTA also gives you new rights to a free credit report if you are a victim of identity theft.
In addition to free credit reports, FACTA gives you the right to one free report annually from a consumer reporting agency that compiles reports on employment, medical records, check writing, insurance, and housing rental history. For more on what FACTA calls "nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies,"

Order your credit reports.
By establishing a fraud alert, you will receive a follow-up letter that will explain how you can receive a free copy of your credit report. When you receive your credit report, examine it closely and look for signs of fraud, such as credit accounts that are not yours.

Continue to monitor your credit reports. Even though a fraud alert has been placed on your account, you should continue to monitor your credit reports to ensure an imposter has not opened an account with your personal information.

Call the toll-free numbers of anyone of the three major credit bureaus (below) to place a fraud alert on your credit report. This can help prevent an identity thief from opening additional accounts in your name. As soon as the credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will automatically be notified to place alerts on your credit report, and all three reports will be sent to you free of charge.

The address for obtaining your annual credit report by making a single request is:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
www.annualcreditreport.com
877 322-8228

You may also contact the credit bureaus individually:

Equifax Credit Information Services
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
www.equifax.com
1-800-685-1111

Experian
P.O. Box 19719
Irvine, CA 92623
www.experian.com
1-888-397-3742

TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
www.transunion.com
1-800-916-8800

List of additional resources:


Resources for Identity Theft Victims

Secure Messaging (E-Mailing) Implementation

Secure Email FAQ's

Confidential E-mail Messages Text

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