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What to Do If Your Identity Has Been Stolen
Monica Buck
 Go to the Federal Trade Commission’s website on identity theft (www.consumer.gov/idtheft) for step-
by-step instructions on how to handle the situation. Here you can download an ID Theft Affidavit for disputing new unauthorized accounts and for filing a complaint with the FTC.Check out the FTC’s all-in-one guide on what to do for specific identity-theft problems, like a lost or stolen ATM/debit card, stolen checks, a misused Social Security number or driver’s-license number, and more. Go to www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm.If anxiety over identity theft is wearing you down, visit the Identity Theft Resource Center (www.idtheftcenter.org/vresources.shtml) for tips on coping
with stress and to learn talking points for dealing with credit-
card companies,
banks, and creditors.And remember: You are not alone! Identity-theft victims share their stories on the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse site (www.privacyrights.org). The site also provides a list of resources, including many states’ specific websites on identity theft and fact sheets on what to do and whom to call when identity theft strikes.
Written by Sharon Tanenbaum
October 2005
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