- Identity Theft Home > How to Repair Damaged Credit from Identity Theft
How to Repair Damaged Credit from Identity Theft
If you’re the victim of identity theft, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Not only will you have to cope with the emotional toll of being a victim of crime, but it will take all the effort you can muster to repair the damage done to your good name and credit. Here’s where to start.
Contact the Credit Reporting Agencies
As soon as you know your identity has been stolen, call one of the three major credit reporting agencies. The law requires the agency you call to contact the other two. The agencies will flag your account; this means that any business that wants to view your credit report to give you credit will first have to verify your identity. Upon request, the three agencies will then send you two free reports over the next 12 months.(Beginning in September 2005, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act requires the three major credit reporting agencies to provide you with a free report once a year regardless of whether you’ve been a victim of fraud, but you must request them from www.annualcreditreport.com or
877-322-8228
.)The three major credit reporting agencies and their toll-free numbers for reporting fraud are listed below.Equifax |
Experian |
TransUnion |
| 800-525-6285 | 888-397-3742 | 800-680-7289 |
Work With Your Creditors
If you discover unauthorized charges on your credit report or any billing statement, contact the fraud department of the creditors you believe have been robbed in your name. You have 60 days from the date you normally receive your bill to notify them. If you notifyyour creditors within this time frame, yourloss for unauthorized charges will be limited to $50.
