Have you noticed suspicious activity in your bank accounts, like a transaction you didn’t authorize? You may be a victim of identity theft.
It’s important to take action to stop and limit the damage to your finances and credit score.
The best identity theft protection is to quickly follow these three steps:
1. Contact your Bank
First, call the company that holds the account that you think was hacked or stolen.
Ask them to freeze your accounts immediately to stop more fraudulent transactions or activity.
Next, change the username and passwords that you used for online banking access.
If fraud occurs with a debit or credit card, your bank or credit union will likely cancel your current card and issue a new one right away. Confirm this when you contact the fraud department.
2. Check Your Credit Report and Set Up a Fraud Alert
Start by setting up a free fraud alert, which can be done by contacting any of the three main credit bureaus:
Experian:
Go to Experian.com/help or call 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)
TransUnion:
Go to TransUnion.com/credit-help or call 888-909-8872
Equifax:
Go to Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services or call 800-685-1111
Whichever bureau you set up your fraud alert through will notify the other two bureaus. This alert lasts for one year.
After setting up a fraud alert, check your credit report for suspicious activity for free at annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228.
Review the report for any transactions, activity, or accounts you do not recognize. Report any suspicious activity.
3. Report the Identity Theft
You’ll want to report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
To report identity theft to the FTC, go to IdentityTheft.gov. Include as many details as possible in your identity theft FTC report.
Have questions? Not sure if you’ve been a victim of identity theft? Contact Dundee Bank at 402-504-4000 or email hello@dundeebanking.com
