As a victim of identity theft, you may feel as if you have lost everything you worked to achieve. It can impact your finances, property, emotions and even your reputation as a responsible member of society.
You have rights after identity theft harms you. Exercising them can help you contain the damage and stop it from worsening. Learn more about these protections to help you choose your next steps.
7 critical rights you have in the wake of identity theft
First, file an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission. This document shows creditors that someone has stolen your identity and is making fraudulent purchases. It can also help you remove or limit your liability for charges the identity thief incurs.
Once you have taken formal steps to report the theft, you have these rights (and more) under American consumer protection laws.
- To place a fraud alert on your credit report
- To be free of harassment for unauthorized purchases
- To get credit report copies
- To have fraudulent information blocked from your report
- To dispute inaccuracies and fraudulent information on your credit report
- To place a security freeze on affected accounts
- To prevent creditors from reporting fraudulent account activity
As you can see, many of these protections shield consumers from unfair and illegal debt collection practices by creditors. In other words, if you are a victim of identity theft, credit agencies are not allowed to harm you further.
If the creditors in your case violate your rights through unfair credit reporting or failing to protect your accounts, consider seeking legal guidance. A fresh, unbiased perspective may help you resolve your situation more smoothly.
