Scores of Americans are worried about the latest huge cyber hack in the U.S., an Equifax data breach that could impact up to 143 million consumers nationwide. Equifax, one of the country’s biggest credit bureaus, says cyber criminals hacked into its systems and gained unlawful access to people’s Social Security numbers, names, addresses, birth dates, […]
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If your Social Security card gets stolen or someone picks up your Social Security number from a confidential document, they may use it to steal your identity, access some of your personal information or open unauthorized financial accounts. It’s illegal to use somebody else’s Social Security number, but many victims of identity theft don’t even
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Q: I lost my social security card about a month ago. I already have memorized my social security number and don’t really need to carry the card around with me. Should I be worried? A: If someone steals your Social Security card, or you have misplaced your card and can’t find it, you need to
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If the person that is your spouse, you need to file a request for what the IRS calls “innocent spouse relief”. Get IRS form 8857 to do this. If not, you should still notify the IRS and Federal authorities that you have been the victim of fraud and identity theft. Lock down your credit reports by getting a credit freeze and putting a fraud alert on your credit files with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
What To Do If Someone Filed A Tax Return In Your Name And Stole Your Credit Identity Read More »
There was an article in the headlines recently about how identity thieves are selling children’s Social Security numbers over the Internet. One way to prevent your child (or you) from identity theft is to place a credit freeze on your credit file. Credit freezes help you thwart identity theft by preventing a crook from opening
Using a Credit Freeze to Protect Your Child’s Social Security Number Read More »
Credit freezes help you thwart identity theft by preventing a crook from opening credit in your name. Credit freeze laws, sometimes referred to as “Credit Lock” laws, began in California in 2003. Now, all 50 states in American, in addition to Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, have laws permitting residents to lock or shut down
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Q: What Steps Can I Take To Avoid Identity Theft? A: To decrease your chances of falling victim to identity theft, you should shred sensitive documents before discarding them, never carry your social security card with you, and say no to anyone strangers who solicit you over the phone or via email and ask for
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