Identity Theft
Victim of Identity Theft? We Can Help
If you have had your identity stolen, it can be an emotional rollercoaster. It’s important that you act quickly to control and reverse the damage. Our law firm can help sort through many of the legal issues that arise whenever your identity is stolen, like:
- Wrongful debt collections (FDCPA)
- Inaccurate credit reporting (FCRA)
- Unauthorized Transfers of Bank Funds (EFTA)
- Invasions of Privacy
You may have a right to sue both the source of the identity theft, as well as the creditors who fail to fufill their obligations to you as a a victim of identity theft. Congress has gone to great lengths to provide consumers whose identity has been stolen with a set of rights, but you’re going to need an experienced lawyer to enforce those rights. Call us today at (612) 379-8800 for help.
Basic Steps for Dealing with Identity Theft
Step 1.Change All Passwords.
Immediately change all of your passwords on all financial accounts, brokerage accounts, retirement accounts, etc. Use complex passwords with special characters and upper and lower case. Change other passwords, too. Use different passwords for each site and don’t reuse or share those passwords. Also, enable MFA (multi-factor authentication) on your financial accounts right away to prevent access by identity thieves.
Step 2.Call the Police.
Call the police and file a criminal complaint. This is essential, even if you don’t know the name of the identity thief. A police report and case number should always be issued. Insist on it from the local police department where you live. Don’t take no for an answer. Get a copy of the police report.
Step 3.Call Your Banks.
Immediately contact every one of your banks, credit unions, and financial account holders (Paypal, Zelle, Schwab, etc.) and demand that they freeze your bank accounts and change the account numbers. Report all unauthorized transactions. Change your login passwords on all financial accounts in your name. It’s important that you report unauthorized transactions immediately since the longer you wait, the more potential financial liability you may have. That liability could be as much as $500 if you wait more than two business days to alert your bank. If you correspond with your bank, save clean copies of those emails or letters. Document carefully who you spoke to, date, time, and contents of the communication.
Step 4.File Identity Theft Affidavit.
Go to IdentityTheft.gov and create a complete and accurate Identity Theft Affidavit and send copies to all your creditors. Complete and send a of the ID Theft Report and police report(s) you filed to every merchant that is attempting to collect a fraudulent debt from you.
Step 5.Dispute False Information with Credit Bureaus
Obtain complete current copies of all three of your major credit reports from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Click here for instructions on getting these from AnnualCreditReport.com. Dispute any inaccurate information you find on these reports in writing or through the online system. Take screenshots of the dispute you file.
Step 6.Place Fraud Alerts
Contact each of the three credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on your credit reports:
- TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; vvww.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, PO Box 2000, Chester PA 19022-2000
- Equifax: 1-888-766-0008; www.equifax.com; PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
- Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; PO Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013
Experience
I have decades of federal consumer rights litigation experience since 1996. There is no tougher place in the world to litigate than in United States Federal District Court. You’ll be glad that your lawyer has both the knowledge of the Court, and the success to back it up.
Innovation
I’ve professionally trained thousands of lawyers all over the country on how to sue debt collectors. I gather all of the best ideas from my legal seminars and bring them back to my law practice. Because I’ve taught thousands of lawyers in all 50 States, my reputation is second-to-none.
Technology
I run an all digital, paperless, law office. I can instantly access any document that has ever been created in your legal file from a secure cloud. Quickly and efficiently. Paper is scanned, optically-character-recognized and fully word-searchable. That makes me effective for you and tough for our opponents.
Communication
As a consumer lawyer, I pride myself in answering my own phone and email. If I’m available to talk, we will talk. Email is always a great way for you to reach me and I make every effort to get back to you in 24 hours or less. I don’t avoid clients. I serve them.