Identity theft is a growing problem, and although we all want to believe it will never happen to us, here at Savvy Student we want our readers to be prepared and to know their rights, just in case.
First and foremost, you must file a police report. Once this is done,
credit bureaus are required to block all negative information on your credit report stemming from the theft.
Furthermore, credit bureaus are required to provide consumers with a copy of their rights upon reporting a potential identity theft situation.
The next important step is to put a fraud alert on your account. One such place to do this is Transunion, www.transunion.com. When you put a fraud alert on your accounts, you are also entitled to a free credit report, separate from the one already offered each year at annualcreditreport.com.
Lastly, if you find something on your credit report that does not seem correct, you do have the right to dispute it. This can often be challenging with the credit bureaus, but if you believe that something is wrong, do not be afraid to stand up for yourself and be persistent!
For more information, read this Time article.
You may also view a YouTube video online about reporting identity theft here courtesy of Transunion.
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