Sample Programs and Victim Assistance Resources
Several resources are available to help the victim minimize damages and recoup losses resulting from identity crime. Below are examples of promising practices to assisting victims.
State Government
- The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has created a system to help victims of identity crime. Through the Identity Theft Verification PASSPORT Program, victims of identity theft are assisted in all phases of recovery, to include being provided an identification card designed to demonstrate to creditors and law enforcement that they are the individual who has been victimized.
Private Support
- The Identity Theft Assistance Center (ITAC): ITAC is a cooperative initiative of the financial services industry. As part of the ongoing industry focus on combating fraud and identity theft, ITAC opened in August 2004 and is run by the Identity Theft Assistance Corporation, a not-for-profit membership corporation sponsored by The Financial Services Roundtable, a non-profit representing 100 of the largest financial services companies. The Center provides one-on-one assistance to victims of identity crime to restore their financial identities.
Federal Support
- The FTC’s ID Theft Affidavit provides a model form that can be used to report information to many companies, simplifying the process of alerting companies where a new account was opened in the victim's name. Previously, victims of identity theft often had to fill out a separate reporting form for each fraudulent account opened by the identity thief. Developed by the FTC in conjunction with banks, credit grantors and consumer advocates, the ID Theft Affidavit is accepted by participating credit issuers, retailers, banks, and other financial institutions. For a copy of the ID Theft Affidavit, call 1.877.ID.THEFT.
