Resources to Help You Learn About and Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
There is a new bill that is being passes, it is a very weak bill but if passed, it will prohibit using a social security number for identification purposes.
This bill should take affect in 2006.
If you feel you have been a victim of identity fraud, contact the Department of Justice, consumer protection division.
They offer mediation with identity theft; they also have a hot line for consumers that is available 8-5 Monday – Friday. They maintain a database of written complaints that goes back to 1998.
They offer seminars to school, seniors or your group.
Be aware that 40 million crooks obtained credit card numbers this past year, “Be Suspicious”.
Also be aware that most identify theft is not reported, especially when it involves family members, so the statistics are off.
These statistics show that consumers lost $5 billion last year when in actuality it is closer to $50 billion.
There have been an estimated 9.
9 million victims in America.
U.
S. Postal Inspection Service www.usps.com/postalinspectorsFederal Trade Commission www.consumer.gov.idtheft
877-IDTHEFT or TTY – 202-326-2502U.
S. Secret Service www.secretservice.govDepartment of Justice www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheftFederal Deposit Insurance Corporation www.fdic.gov/consumersEquifax www.exuifax.com
800-525-6285Experian www.experian.com
888-397-3742Trans union www.transunion.com
800-680-7289Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline
PO Box 17768
Baltimore, MD 21235
800-269-0271 www.socialsecurity.govNorth American Securities Agency Administrators (NASAA)
www.nasaa.orgBetter Business Bureau www.search.bbb.org/search.htmlUnited States Postal Service www.usps.comNational Do Not Call Registry www.donotcall.gov
888-382-1222Direct marketing Association Consumer Assistance
http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.html Registering by mail is FREE and registering online is $5.00. To remove your name from national mailing lists by mail:
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
PO Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512Identity Theft Resource Center www.idtheftcenter.org
858-693-7935International check service 800-526-5380Telecheck 800-927-0755Certegy Check Services 800-437-5120Internet Fraud Complaint Center
http://www.ifccfbi.gov/index.aspFight Identity Theft
http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.
A.
D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years.
She owns and runs Credit & Collections.com a free online community for credit and business professionals.
She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series and is currently writing a book for the Streetwise Series, part of the Adams Media Corporation. For more information on Michelle’s services or to order any of her books please email her at michelle@michelledunn.com or visit
http://www.michelledunn.com &
http://www.credit-and-collections.comMichelle Dunn
