Identity Theft Prevention
Identity theft can occur when an individual obtains personal information, such as your social security number, date of birth, address, and financial account numbers. Once this information is obtained, the thieves will assume or take on your identity, allowing them to illegally purchase items or obtain credit. By following these simple guidelines, your potential for loss due to identity theft can be greatly reduced.
Tips for protecting yourself against identity theft:
- Check your credit report on a regular basis to ensure the information is correct. NorState FCU Mobile and Online Banking users can stay up to date by signing up for Credit NOW.
- Immediately tear up (using a shredder is even better!) unsolicited credit card offers.
- Never give personal information or your credit card information over the phone unless you initiated the phone call.
- Always be familiar with financial accounts that you currently maintain. Verify statements and other information sent by your financial institution for accuracy.
If you think you are a victim of identity theft, here are some helpful steps to take:
- Contact NorState Federal Credit Union for immediate assistance.
- Contact the fraud departments of any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file. The fraud alert requests creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. As soon as the credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will be automatically notified to place fraud alerts, and all three credit reports will be sent to you at no cost.
- Credit Bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion
- Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
- Visit the FTC's IdentityTheft.gov to report the identity theft and get a recovery plan.
- File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
- File your complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we can better assist you.
- If you believe you have been a victim of Mail Fraud, submit a mail fraud complaint form with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
