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2. Creditors – new accounts. Contact all creditors immediately
with whom your name has been used fraudulently, by phone and in writing.
You
will see evidence of these accounts on your credit reports. Creditors will likely
ask you to fill out fraud affidavits. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides
a uniform affidavit form that most creditors accept
Web:
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf
No law requires affidavits to be notarized at your own expense. You may choose
to substitute witness signatures for notarization if creditors require verification
of your signature. Ask the credit grantors to furnish you and your investigating
law enforcement agency copies of the documentation, such as the application
and transaction records, showing the fraudulent transactions.
In California,
they are required by law to give you these copies (California Penal Code 530.8).
The California Office of Privacy Protection provides instructions and sample
letters on how to obtain documentation from credit grantors,
www.privacy.ca.gov/fair.htm
Creditors – your
existing accounts
2a. Creditors – your existing accounts. If your existing
credit accounts have been used fraudulently, get replacement cards
with new account numbers.
Ask that old accounts be processed as "account closed at
consumer's request" (better than "card lost or stolen" because it
can be interpreted as blaming you.)
Monitor your mail and bills for evidence of new fraudulent
activity. Report it immediately to creditor grantors.
Add passwords to all accounts. This should not be your mother’s
maiden name or a word that is easily guessed.
3. Debt Collectors |
