Article: Recovering from Identity Theft - Free Reprintable Article

Identity theft is on the rise in America. Unfortunately many innocent people get hurt because of the fraudulent activities of others. Restoring your good name and credit can take much longer to repair than it took to be destroy. We will discuss some of the simple things you can do to get your identity on the road to recovery and simple things you can do to keep it there.

Simple Software, Simple Life

Simple software for the average Joe - Simple Joe

Home

Product Info:

Personal Finance Software

Organization & Productivity

Purchase:

Support:

Resources:

Simple Joe Info:

Keyword Navigation:

amortization program
amortization schedule calculator
amortization table calculator
amortization, interest only loan
auto loan payment calculator
budget planner
budget sheet template
budget software
budget spreadsheet worksheet
budgeting software
buy a house/home
consolidate debt loan
create a budget, creating
credit card debt
credit card payoff calculator
credit debt counseling services
debt consolidation loan
debt free solution
debt help, reduction, elimination
debt payoff calculator
debt reduction calculator software
debt relief solution
estate planning
expense report form
expense sheet, statement
expense tracking software
family budget software
financial calculator program
financial calculator software
free reprintable articles
free website content
home budget software
household budget software
household budget worksheet form
household budgeting
how much home can I afford
how to get out of debt
inflation calculator
interest only amortization schedule
investment calculation software
investment interest calculator
make/making a budget
mortgage amortization table
mortgage calculator, payment
mortgage loan calculator
personal budget form
personal budget software
personal finance articles
personal finance software
retirement calculator, financial
retirement plan calculator
retirement planning software
simple accounting

Other:

Other Resources:

YOUR LINK HERE
Place your web site link here to increase your site's visiblity to web surfers and the search engines.

Recovering from Identity Theft

by Lyle Evans
Identity theft is on the rise in America. Con artists want something for nothing. Unfortunately many innocent people get hurt because of the fraudulent activities of others. Restoring your good name and credit can take much longer to repair than it took to be destroy. The worst part about the whole thing is that you are the one responsible for restoring your identity even though you are not the one who used your name fraudulently. We will discuss some of the simple things you can do to get your identity on the road to recovery and simple things you can do to keep it there.

There are varying degrees of identity theft. For example, if someone uses your credit card once or twice fraudulently and you find out and put a stop to it , you may not have such a hard time repairing the damage. On the other hand if someone gets all your information, your Social Security Number, your birthday and other pertinent information, he can set up false credit card accounts and run up large bills in a hurry.

Con artists can use your information over the phone and internet to get phone cards, etc., and to purchase just about anything as long as they have a credit card in your name. If this goes on for an extended period of time it can be very serious to your credit, and large fraudulent expenses may be incurred. The size of the fraudulent charges and the length of time the theft has gone unnoticed can make it very difficult to clean up your credit and identity. Many lending companies will take responsibility if fraudulent activities are reported quickly.

If the fraudulent activity goes on for a long period of time with large expenses incurred, lending companies make it much more difficult to clear your record and name. There are many questions and hoops these institutions will require you to go through.

When you find yourself a victim of fraudulent activity there are some things you should do immediately. Call the lending company and put a stop to the fraudulent activity as soon as you find out. Depending on the severity of the fraud, you may have to have your credit company cancel your current cards and reissue new ones to you. If your name and identity have been used fraudulently on a wide scale, you will need to contact every company that you have done business with.

This can be large task in itself. Make them aware of what is going on. If something looks suspicious to them, have them contact you. In cases where your Social Security Number has been used fraudulently, contact the government Social Security office. (The government web site http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft also provides a wealth of information on this topic.) They can help you get things straightened out. They deal with this far too often and know what to do in order to help you clean up your credit and Social Security Number. You may also want to contact state government web sites, where you will find further agencies and information to help you.

It is also a good idea to keep good documentation when you first find out about the fraudulent activity. Begin by recording the names of the people you talk to at the different institutions you communicate with. By keeping a good log and documentation you protect yourself and can back up what has happened if needed. Law enforcement may also find your documented information useful in prosecuting the individual or individuals responsible.

There are a number of things you can do to protect your identity once you have everything cleared up (or to prevent it in the first place):

Mail payments directly at the post office; never leave them in the mail box.
Refuse to give personal information to people who ask for it in surveys.
Be very careful giving your information over the internet; be sure you know the site is secure and reputable.
If you normally carry your Social Security card in your wallet, take it out and put it in a safe place. If your wallet were to be lost with that card in it, it would be an open door for thieves.
Dispose of personal information by shredding or burning.
Be careful when using credit or debit cards that people are not close enough to get your personal information (such as at an ATM or a terminal at a checkout stand, etc.). Be aware of the new camera cell phones that can visually capture your information from a short distance away. Block visual access with your body or your hand, etc.
If you can afford it, hire a reputable credit watch company to watch your credit and notify you of any suspicious activity.
Finally, do your best to protect information and be cautious.

Remember it will take a long time to get your credit and identity cleaned up. Be patient in your rebuilding efforts. If your situation is dire, you may need to seek professional help. Do your homework before going with any identity restoration consulting firm. Good Luck.

***************************************************************
© Simple Joe, Inc.
Lyle Evans is a quality control specialist for Simple Joe, Inc., makers of the popular Simple Joe's Expense Tracker PC software. Expense Tracker is a quick and simple way to keep track of your expenses and stay within your budget. Expense Tracker is ideal for tracking personal, business, home and club expenses.. This article may be freely distributed as long as the copyright, author's information and an active link (where possible) are included.

Note: This article may be freely distrubuted and reprinted as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. Minor edits and alterations are acceptable so long as they do not distort or change the content of the article. For more information on reprint rights email:

Article Formatted for Email & Newsletters:

771 Words

Title: Recovering from Identity Theft
Author: Lyle Evans

Identity theft is on the rise in America. Con artists want
something for nothing. Unfortunately many innocent people
get hurt because of the fraudulent activities of others.
Restoring your good name and credit can take much longer to
repair than it took to be destroy. The worst part about the
whole thing is that you are the one responsible for
restoring your identity even though you are not the one who
used your name fraudulently. We will discuss some of the
simple things you can do to get your identity on the road to
recovery and simple things you can do to keep it there.

There are varying degrees of identity theft. For example, if
someone uses your credit card once or twice fraudulently and
you find out and put a stop to it , you may not have such a
hard time repairing the damage. On the other hand if someone
gets all your information, your Social Security Number, your
birthday and other pertinent information, he can set up
false credit card accounts and run up large bills in a
hurry.

Con artists can use your information over the phone and
internet to get phone cards, etc., and to purchase just
about anything as long as they have a credit card in your
name. If this goes on for an extended period of time it can
be very serious to your credit, and large fraudulent
expenses may be incurred. The size of the fraudulent charges
and the length of time the theft has gone unnoticed can make
it very difficult to clean up your credit and identity. Many
lending companies will take responsibility if fraudulent
activities are reported quickly.

If the fraudulent activity goes on for a long period of time
with large expenses incurred, lending companies make it much
more difficult to clear your record and name. There are many
questions and hoops these institutions will require you to
go through.

When you find yourself a victim of fraudulent activity there
are some things you should do immediately. Call the lending
company and put a stop to the fraudulent activity as soon as
you find out. Depending on the severity of the fraud, you
may have to have your credit company cancel your current
cards and reissue new ones to you. If your name and identity
have been used fraudulently on a wide scale, you will need
to contact every company that you have done business with.

This can be large task in itself. Make them aware of what is
going on. If something looks suspicious to them, have them
contact you. In cases where your Social Security Number has
been used fraudulently, contact the government Social
Security office. (The government web site
<a href="http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft">
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft</a> also provides a wealth of
information on this topic.) They can help you get things
straightened out. They deal with this far too often and know
what to do in order to help you clean up your credit and
Social Security Number. You may also want to contact state
government web sites, where you will find further agencies
and information to help you.

It is also a good idea to keep good documentation when you
first find out about the fraudulent activity. Begin by
recording the names of the people you talk to at the
different institutions you communicate with. By keeping a
good log and documentation you protect yourself and can back
up what has happened if needed. Law enforcement may also
find your documented information useful in  prosecuting  the
individual or individuals responsible.

There are a number of things you can do to protect your
identity once you have everything cleared up (or to prevent
it in the first place):

* Mail payments directly at the post office; never leave
them in the mail box.
* Refuse to give personal information to people who ask for
it in surveys.
* Be very careful giving your information over the internet;
be sure you know the site is secure and reputable.
* If you normally carry your Social Security card in your
wallet, take it out and put it in a safe place. If your
wallet were to be lost with that card in it, it would be an
open door for thieves.
* Dispose of personal information by shredding  or burning.
* Be careful when using credit or debit cards that people
are not close enough to get your personal information (such
as at an ATM or a terminal at a checkout stand, etc.). Be
aware of the new camera cell phones that can visually
capture your information from a short distance away. Block
visual access with your body or your hand, etc.
* If you can afford it, hire a reputable credit watch
company to watch your credit and notify you of any
suspicious activity.
* Finally, do your best to protect information and be
cautious.

************************************************************
 © Simple Joe, Inc.
Lyle Evans is a quality control specialist for Simple Joe, 
Inc., makers of the popular Simple Joe's Expense Tracker PC 
software. Expense Tracker is a quick and simple way to keep 
track of your expenses and stay within your budget. Expense 
Tracker (http://www.simplejoe.com/expensetracker/index2.htm) 
is ideal for tracking personal, business, home and club 
expenses.

This article may be freely distributed as long as the copyright, 
author's information and an active link (where possible) are 
included.

Articles & Products Related ToIdentity Theft

Article: Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself - by Chemain Evans
Article: Recovering from Identity Theft
Article: How Identity Theft Works - by Lee Ann Obringer
Article: How to Steal $65 Billion: Why Identity Theft is a Growth Industry - By Robert X. Cringely - September 11, 2003
Article: Identity Theft and Identity Fraud - U.S. Department of Justice
Article: Identity Theft: What, Me Worry? - By Janet Rubenking - March 2, 2004 - PC Magazine
Article: IdentityTheft: Stealing your nameand your money - by Debbi Baer(PDF File)
Links: Links to sites featuring security software (more).
Links: Links to sites featuring security software.
Product: Create A Rapid Debt Reduction Plan With Simple Joe's Debt Easer
Product: Budgeting And Expense Reporting Made Easy With Simple Joe's Expense Tracker
Product: Simple Joe's Money Tools - Personal Finance and Investing Financial Calculators

Identity Theft: Related Organizations & Businesses

Federal Trade Commission
www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

Identity Theft Prevention and Survival Site
www.identitytheft.org

Identity Theft Resource Center
www.idtheftcenter.org

Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC)
www.ifccfbi.gov

U.S. Department of Justice Identity Theft and Fraud information
www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/ idtheft.html

U.S. Department of State Passport Services
www.travel.state.gov/passport_services

National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA)
www.naca.net/resource.htm

Credit Bureaus

Equifax (www.equifax.com)
To order a report, call 800-685-1111; to report fraud, call 800-525-6285.

Experian (www.experian.com)
To order a report or report fraud, call 888-397-3742.

TransUnion (www.transunion.com)
To order a report, call 800-888-4213; to report fraud, call 800-680-7289.

Back to the Personal Finance articles page.

Back to the Free, Reprintable Articles page.

Your Financial FIGHT

Getting beaten up by excessive debt? Let Debt Eraser fight for you!

Are Debts Beating You Up?

Put Debt Eraser on Your Side!

Simple fast debt reduction. Create a Raid Debt Reduction plan with simple Debt Eraser PC software.

Achieve your New Year's resolution to get out of debt!

Beat Your Debt
(Click Here)

Global Home Business

Are you ready for a home business that can take you around the WORLD?

Extra income to:

- Pay off debts
- Save for retirement
- Just have fun!

Travel the world on "business" - YOUR business!

Discover SISEL!

More Resources

More Resources:

Page Title:	Article: Recovering from Identity Theft
Keywords:	identity theft recover overcome fix fast growing crime protect yourself free reprint article information tips help, free reprintable article
Summary:	Identity theft is on the rise in America. Unfortunately many innocent people get hurt because of the fraudulent activities of others. Restoring your good name and credit can take much longer to repair than it took to be destroy. We will discuss some of the simple things you can do to get your identity on the road to recovery and simple things you can do to keep it there.