You have become a victim of identity theft. Now what do you do?
NCB understands how frustrating and scary this can be. Identity theft continues to be one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. In 2019, 14.4 million consumers became victims of identity fraud — that is about 1 in 15 people.
We want to provide you with a step-by-step plan to help you report and recover from identity theft.
What to do right away:
1. You will need to contact the companies where you know fraud has occurred.
2. Place a fraud alert and get your credit reports. You may reach the credit bureaus at:
Equifax: (800) 525-6285
Experian: (888) 397-3742
TransUnion: (800) 680-7289
3. Report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission.
4. You may choose to file a report with your local police department.
What to do next:
1. Close new accounts that were opened in your name.
2. Remove charges from your accounts that are not yours.
3. Correct any mistakes on your credit report.
4. Consider adding an extended fraud alert or credit freeze.
5. Continue to review your credit reports.
For other possible steps and additional information, please visit the Federal Trade Commission at: https://identitytheft.gov/