I may have already covered this topic, but it is the number one crime worldwide, and from all the police reports I read, one of the easiest to commit. I also recently came across some great resource information for victims of identity theft.

If you think you have been a victim of identity theft, there are several important steps to follow. First, file a police report. Make sure you keep a copy of the completed police report and a name and follow-up number to contact. Second, place a fraud alert on your credit reports. Notify all three credit reporting agencies – Experian (www.expeiran.com, 888-397-3742), Equifax (www.equifax.com, 800-525-6285), and TransUnion (www.transunion.com, 800-680-7289) – that you suspect you have been a victim of identity theft and ask that a fraud alert be placed on your credit file. You should even consider placing a freeze on your credit report, which should prevent any new credit accounts being opened in your name. In California it is a free service for victims of identity theft.

Next, complete an identity theft affidavit form. This form can be used to halt any hasty action by creditors and debt collectors. It can be downloaded from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website at www.ftc.gov and click on the identity theft link. You will probably need to send a copy of the affidavit to each affected creditor, along with any information about the accounts opened in your name, as well as a copy of the police report. Be sure to send the ID theft affidavit by certified mail and request a return receipt.

Then contact your bank and credit card companies. If necessary, close all affected accounts. If your checks are involved, place a stop order on any outstanding checks that you are not sure about. Open new accounts and create new, strong passwords and PIN numbers for those new accounts. And contact the post office if mail has been stolen or if your mailing address has been fraudulently used by an identity thief. You can find the contact information for the nearest post office at the USPS website (www.usps.gov).

If you suspect that your social security number has been misused, you should report it to the Social Security Administration (contact information can be found at www.ssa.gov).

Last, do not be intimidated by debt collectors. Sometimes they can be very aggressive in pursuing victims of identity theft. If the debt is not yours, do not offer or agree to pay anything. Respond in writing and keep a record of all fraudulent transactions and of all correspondence with banks and creditors concerning disputed transactions. Time is of the essence in reporting your victimization because it is amazing how quickly identity theft is accomplished.

Finally, if you live in San Francisco and believe that you have been a victim of identity theft, there is now a free service that will provide advice and support to help you get through the web of a mess that this crime creates. It is a partnership between police and the Identity Theft Council, a nonprofit group of identity theft and security experts who volunteer their time to provide free assistance to identity theft victims. To speak to a counselor, call 888-771-0767 or e-mail [email protected]. For further information, check out their website at www.identitytheftcounsel.org.

E-mail: [email protected]