Need to file a police report for Identity Theft? Aura's got you covered: [ Ссылка ]
If your identity has been stolen you should file a police report as soon as possible. In this video, we'll guide you {step by step} on how to file a police report, FAST.
The sooner you report identity theft, the faster you can prevent further damage to your credit score and financial reputation.
But first, you need to make sure that you are indeed a victim of identity theft.
Here are 5 warning signs of identity theft:
1. Unauthorised charges on your credit cards.
2. Missing funds from your bank account.
3. Calls from debt collectors for debts that are not yours.
4. Realising your online accounts have been hacked.
5. Missing mail or unrecognized mail.
If you’ve noticed any of the above, then your identity has probably been stolen! Unlike what many people think, calling the police is NOT your first step. Before you do anything else, you must first notify the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In the FTC’s website you can easily file an Identity Theft Report which will be important for your next steps.
Head to identitytheft.gov and click get started.
In the next steps, choose the options that better describe your situation. The online wizard will automatically fill out your report based on your choices.
According to the FTC’s privacy policy, you can choose how much personal information you feel comfortable providing. Everything you share will be entered into a secure online database.
As you complete the required fields about the incident, the FTC's online tool generates a personalized recovery plan. This will guide you on your next steps.
Then, download the forms and dispute letters to send to credit bureaus. Once you complete your affidavit, print out the report and keep a copy for your records.
Now it’s time to consider going to the police, but… should you?
As a federal law enforcement agency, the FTC actually supersedes your local police department so in most cases you don’t even need to involve the police. You should read carefully your recovery plan and see if going to the police is necessary in your case.
In general, you'll need to inform the police if one of these 4 things applies:
1. You know the person who committed the crime.
2. You have information that could aid a police investigation.
3. Your identity was used during a crime.
4. Your financial institution requires a police report for identity theft.
If (and when) you go to the police, make sure that you have your FTC Identity Theft report, any personal identifying documents you have and evidence of the identity theft.
With all this out of the way, now it’s time to inform all three major credit bureaus of the theft. You can do this online by visiting the websites of Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
After that step, depending on the scale of the theft, there are many possible courses of action - like changing all your passwords, but you might need to make huge changes, like canceling your bank account and freezing your credit.
Identity theft can be a difficult and emotionally taxing process, but it doesn’t have to be like this.
Aura's White Glove Fraud Resolution service eliminates the stress of recovering your identity and assets if you’re a victim of identity theft or financial fraud. A dedicated Aura case manager will work with you to craft a mitigation and remediation plan. Aura's team of trained experts will help you navigate the challenges of dealing with credit bureaus and federal institutions.
Every Aura plan comes with a $1 Million Identity Theft Insurance policy that may cover eligible losses due to identity fraud. You can try Aura’s 14-Day Free Trial here: [ Ссылка ]
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