Before identity theft happens to you – well, in case identity theft happens to you – you should have a game plan in place on what to do about it. It does affect close to 10 million Americans each year so this really is something you should think about. To be more specific, you should take some steps so that you can easily thwart someone from using your information even if they have access to it.
There are several things you can have on hand to make the process easier. First of all, make sure you have copies of all of your credit cards and forms of identification – front and back. This will ensure that you have the information you need to report them stolen and/or cancel them as soon as possible. You don’t want to waste valuable time searching for card numbers and phone numbers while the identity thief is at work.
It’s also a good idea to have the contact information for the Federal Trade Commission and the local police department on hand, as well as your primary financial institution’s details. Of course, Google and a reliable internet connection provides quick access to these nowadays.
Another good thing to have is a recent copy of your credit report. Once you report an incidence of identity theft, you should order an additional copy. Having a recent one to cross reference with can help you easily determine if any fraud has taken place on your accounts without having to scan through months of statements or bills.
Perhaps the most important thing to have in place in case you are victimized is an identity theft protection policy. With such a policy, you don’t have to take care of all the nitty gritty details yourself and you have a trained professional who can help you cut through the red tape. Also, you could be entitled to reimbursements for lost wages, legal fees and even your time, depending on the terms of your plan. It’s worth looking into before this crime happens to you – and oftentimes it can help prevent it from happening to you in the first place.
Learn more about your identity theft protection options via the links on our right hand side column.