Free credit check report Helena

Recent amendments to the FCRA (§623(6)(B)) allow you to prevent businesses from reporting fraudulent accounts to the credit bureaus. Creditors will likely ask you to fill out fraud affidavits.

The FTC provides a uniform affidavit form that most creditors accept, http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/resources/forms/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 in writing to furnish you and your investigating law enforcement agency with copies of the documentation, such as the fraudulent application and transaction records. Both federal and California law give you the right to obtain these documents.

The California Office of Privacy Protection provides instructions and sample letters on how free credit check report Helena to obtain documentation from credit grantors, www.privacy.ca.gov/cis3aenglish.htm A victim of identity theft must provide a copy of the FTC affidavit or another affidavit acceptable to the business, plus government-issued identification, and a copy of an "identity theft report" (police report) in order to obtain the documents created by the imposter.

The business must provide copies of these records to the victim within 30 days of the victim's request at no charge. free credit reports and credit scores The law also allows the victim to authorize a law enforcement investigator to get free credit check report Helena access to these records. When you have resolved the fraudulent account with the creditor, ask for a letter stating that the company has closed the disputed account and has discharged the debts. You may need it if the account reappears on your credit report. You must also notify the credit bureaus about the fraudulent accounts. Handling problems with your existing credit or debit accounts. If your existing credit or debit accounts have been used fraudulently, report it in writing immediately to the credit card company. Request replacement cards with new account numbers. In addition to phoning the credit card company regarding the fraud, you will need to follow up in writing and will likely be asked to provide a fraud affidavit or free credit check report Helena a dispute form. credit report free credit score Send the letter to the address given for "billing inquiries," not the address for sending payments. Carefully monitor your mail and bills for free credit check report Helena evidence of new fraudulent activity. These should not be your mother's maiden free credit check report Helena name or any word that is easily guessed. Debt collectors. If debt collectors try to get you to pay the unpaid bills on fraudulent accounts, ask for the name of the collection company, the name of the person contacting you, phone number, and address. Tell the collector that you are free credit check report Helena a victim of fraud and are not responsible for the account. Ask for the name and contact information for the referring credit issuer, the amount of the debt, account number, and dates of the charges. Ask if they need you to complete their fraud affidavit form or whether you can use the FTC affidavit.

Follow up by writing to the debt collector explaining your situation. Ask that they confirm in writing that you do not owe the debt and that the account has been closed. Under new provisions in the FCRA, a debt collector must notify the creditor that the debt may be a free credit check report Helena result of identity theft. (§615(g)) free credit check report Helena The FCRA also prohibits the sale or transfer of a debt caused by identity theft. credit report scores (§615(f)) For additional information free credit check report Helena on dealing with debt collectors, read our Fact Sheet 27, which has a section for victims of identity theft at www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs27-debtcoll.htm#8 7. Check and banking fraud. If you have had checks stolen or bank accounts set up fraudulently, ask your bank to report it to ChexSystems, a consumer reporting agency that compiles reports on checking accounts.

Also, place a security alert on your file (see web address below). Your bank should be able to provide you with a fraud affidavit.