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Home › Articles › Stocks, Bonds, Credit Cards and More › Damage Control

Damage Control

The Armchair Millionaire's Checklist for Recovering From Identity Theft

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  • Fill out an ID theft affidavit. This affidavit is offered by the Federal Trade Commission to make it easier for identity theft victims to document accounts that have been opened or used in your name. Many creditors will request a copy of this affidavit to investigate your claim.
  • Contact your creditors. Contact the fraud department of each company where you believe your accounts have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. This can include credit card companies, banks and mortgage companies. Report the fraud and close each account. Make your requests in writing, sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, so that you can document what each company received and when.
  • Follow up. Keep a close eye on your credit report for any new suspicious activity, particularly in the first year after you've been a victim of identity theft. Visit www.annualcreditreport.com to order copies of your credit report from each of the credit bureaus.

    • With your access to loans, housing or even job opportunities on the line, identity theft is serious business. If you become the victim of ID theft, take the right steps immediately to minimize the damage.

    Lewis Schiff founded the Armchair Millionaire Web site in 1997 and is the author of The Armchair Millionaire (Atria, 2002). The report, "How to Know When You Are Rich," is available at www.armchairmillionaire.com.


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