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Identity Theft

Get quick help fixing identity theft problems.

Identity Theft

Is someone impersonating you and ruining your credit?

Fighting identity theft.

Identity theft typically occurs when someone steals your identification and uses it for their own purposes. Nowadays they don’t have to steal your wallet, but all they need is your social security number or other financial information. Professional identity thieves need even less information, and can cause serious damage including ruining your credit and resulting in you being placed in collection for accounts that you didn’t even know about.

There are many forms of identity theft. The most common type includes identity theft on open accounts, such as figuring out your credit card number or finding / stealing your credit card and going on a spending spree, or using your identity to open up new accounts that you aren’t even aware of. Although it is a crime and the thief can be arrested, few seldom do as police departments typically have much greater priorities then figuring out who really made that charge on your credit card.

Get help with identity theft.

Immediate identity theft control measures.

Regardless of what happens with the criminal, identity theft must be dealt with right away or it can have significant and long-term effects on your credit and financial well-being. Although the police may arrest the individual, the police will not deal with creditors and collection agencies calling your phone, nor will they help you remove the damage from your credit report. In addition, many identity thieves sell your information online, so you may have other people trying to open accounts using your identification as well.

There are laws to help people deal with identity theft and dispute charges that are not yours, however these laws are complicated and you must follow the specific procedures. In addition, it may be hard to prove the identity theft in court if you get sued by a creditor. Creditors will often demand that you file a police report or fraud affidavit as a requirement to investigate the identity theft, naming the person who you think committed the theft, and failure to file one would be used against you in court showing that you actually agreed to the charges. However, a lot of identity theft occurs by a family member or someone you know, and many identity theft victims do not want to file a police report due to their relationship. It also commonly occurs to couples who are in the process of separation or divorce, with one spouse using the others credit in spite. However, filing a police report may result in your ex going to jail and you not receiving child support. There are many sensitive issues when dealing with identity theft, and it is best to consult with a professional who can effectively guide you in how to dispute the charges, defend any claims against you, fix your credit and make sure that it doesn’t happen again.