6 Things To Do If You Become A Victim Of Identity Theft

1. 6Things To Do If You Become A Victim Of Identity Theft

2. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your name, credit card number, or other personal information without your knowledge & permission. This personal information is often misused. For instance, your PAN card number could be used by thieves to falsify their income and credit history when they apply for a loan, open new lines of credit or file taxes. As soon as you suspect that you’ve been a victim of identity fraud, take these steps immediately to clear your name and your credit:

3. Lock the concerned account & register FIR When you start getting messages about a purchase which was not made by you, contact your bank or lender or insurance company immediately to lock down the account.  The next step is to register an FIR in the respective police station to legalize your complaint to find out the fraudster. Almost all the banks provide an instant SMS acknowledgment service to verify your purchases. 

4. Put a fraud alert on your credit reports Contact the credit information companies such as CRIF and place a fraud alert on your credit report. A Fraud alert notifies lenders to verify your identity before extending any credit, by calling you at a phone number you provide. You can place a temporary alert which lasts for 90 days or an extended fraud alert which lasts for 7 years. Another option for identity fraud prevention measure is to place a security freeze on each of your credit reports.

5. New applications will automatically be declined because, without access to your file, the creditor will have no way to assess your credit. Unlike a fraud alert, in case of security freeze, you’ll need to contact each credit information company individually to place a freeze on your files.

6. Check Your credit reports After installing a fraud alert in your credit file, you’ll automatically receive a free credit report from each of the 4 agencies, and you will be opted out of preapproved credit card and insurance offers. Once you receive your free reports. Check your reports for signs of fraud new accounts you didn’t open, hard inquiries you did not make, payment history you can’t account for, an employer you never worked for and any personal information unfamiliar to you.

7. File a police report The police may not be able immediately helpful if your identity was stolen by criminals online and overseas, your report could help them track down someone who is stealing information locally. Alert the police in your city. You may also need to report the theft to the police departments where it occurred. Make sure to get a copy of the police report and/or the report number.

8. Close existing & Open new financial accounts Identity fraud victims should talk to their banks & financial institutions to determine how they can further avoid the damage.  They might require you to close existing accounts (even the ones that haven’t been compromised) and reopen new accounts. It can be a tedious process, but a necessary one to avoid a future incidence.

9. Tighten your account settings Regularly update passwords to all your online accounts. Make sure they are strong containing a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. Delete any personal information such as addresses and phone numbers of public profiles on social media and other sites.

10. You can get both your Personal Credit ScoreandBusiness Credit Score by applying directly on the link mentioned below: https://cir.crifhighmark.com Follow CRIF India on : /CRIF INDIA