Fix ID theft

By Judd Morse, Staff writer

April 14, 2008 12:10 pm

— ADA — While the best way to avoid identity theft is to never give out personal information, sometimes accidents happen. Getting those accidents corrected as soon as possible is vitally important. If you think you’ve been a victim of identity theft, East Central Credit Union CEO Phyllis Kunze recommends the following steps be taken immediately :
— Contact all creditors and financial institutions and inform them that you’ve been a potential victim of identity theft. Follow up with a formal letter to each as well.
— Close your current bank accounts and open new ones with different account and routing numbers.
— File a report with local law enforcement and be sure to keep a copy of that report for your records.
— File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. The agency can be contacted via its hotline, 877-ID-THEFT (877-438-4338).
— Review credit reports periodically to keep an eye out for suspicious activity regarding your credit.
Kunze said that while taking these steps can be something of a hassle to an individual, the bother is far better than dealing with cleaned-out accounts and ruined credit.

Judd Morse can be contacted at jmorse@adaeveningnews.com