Contact Financial Institutions
Contact Financial Institutions
- Contact all the financial institutions (banks, credit unions, credit card companies, mortgage companies, brokerages, etc.) where you have accounts that an identity thief has taken over, or where you suspect accounts might have been created in your name but without your knowledge. Note that an identity criminal might have set up accounts in your name at financial institutions with which you do not do business.
- Work with your financial institutions to cancel compromised accounts and stop payment on any outstanding checks that have not cleared. You should change your Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, account, and personal identification number (PIN). You also need to cancel your credit cards and have them re-issued.
- Contact other creditors and companies with whom your name or identifying data have been fraudulently used. For example, you may need to contact your phone company to report calling card use.
- Many financial services companies belong to ITAC, the Identity Theft Assistance Center, a nonprofit supported by financial services companies. They offer ITAC victim assistance as a free service to customers of member companies, consumer education materials, as well as fraud detection and prevention services. For more information about ITAC go to: www.identitytheftassistance.org
