Do You Know Where to Start After Identity Theft?I’ve talked about how creditors and credit reporting agencies make mistakes that can sit on your credit report for months, lowering your credit score and costing you thousands of dollars in loan denials and high interest rates. Now I want to talk about another way negative information can end up on your credit report—identity theft. In fact, if you are checking your credit reports regularly, the first clue you’ll get that your personal financial information has been stolen will probably be something weird on your credit report. That’s why I’m constantly harping on you to CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORTS! So, what should you do if you find suspicious activity on your credit report? I’ll tell you.

Identity Theft Basics

Identity thieves steal your personal information and use it for their own gain. There are lots of ways your data can be compromised, but we are concerned with financial identity theft. You’ve probably experienced the theft of your credit card number and, hopefully, your credit card company notified you of suspicious activity and you were able to cancel the card before any real damage was done. Technically, this is considered credit card fraud and not true identity theft, but it’s still pretty scary. Identity theft would be when someone gets a hold of your name, address, and Social Security number and actually opens credit card accounts or takes out loans in your name. You may get a statement in the mail for a credit card you didn’t open—major red flag—but most likely, you’ll discover the theft by seeing accounts on your credit report that you didn’t open—if you are checking your reports often!

How Do You Fix Identity Theft?

Recovering from identity theft can be a long and difficult process and will require determination, patience, and an experienced consumer financial protection lawyer. The first thing you should do is file a report with your local police department. Now, unless your purse was stolen at the local mall with your Social Security card and other sensitive data in it, there is not much the local police are going to do for you, but that’s not the point. The point is to get a copy of the police report to create a paper trail and show that you’re serious about fighting this. Next, call me! There are time limits for how long you have to take action, so don’t waste time Googling what to do. I will act fast and I will charge you nothing!

What Will I Do for You?

You will need to communicate your claim with each credit reporting agency in a very specific format, which I will give to you! Don’t waste your time with online disputes or internet form letters. Call me as soon as you suspect your identity has been stolen and I will walk you through the steps to get it fixed. Remember, you are not responsible for debts in your name or credit reporting errors that were caused by identity theft! Recovering after identity theft can be a long and frustrating process, but I will help you for FREE! Here’s what I’ll do:

  • Email you all the forms and instructions you will need.
  • Follow up with you to keep you on track.
  • Help you file claims with creditors, debt collectors, and the credit reporting agencies.
  • Evaluate your case for legal action!

If I think you have a claim for damages, I’ll file the lawsuit and I won’t charge you anything unless I win. I take all identity theft cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning unless I am able to win compensation for you, you don’t owe me anything. Even if there aren’t grounds for a lawsuit, I’ll help you through the process for free.

You truly have nothing to lose by contacting me online or calling me directly at 855.982.2400. What are you waiting for? If you think you have been the victim of identity theft, contact me today!

 

Michael F. Cardoza, Esq.
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U.S. Marine & Consumer Financial Protection Attorney helping victims of ID theft and Credit Reporting errors.