Comments on: In Case of Identity Theft, Check Your Criminal Records http://www.askmrcreditcard.com/creditcardblog/in-case-of-identity-theft-check-your-criminal-records/ Latest Credit Card News, Reviews and Information Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:48:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Troy Williams http://www.askmrcreditcard.com/creditcardblog/in-case-of-identity-theft-check-your-criminal-records/comment-page-1/#comment-134607 Troy Williams Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:37:09 +0000 http://www.askmrcreditcard.com/creditcardblog/?p=641#comment-134607 I have done extensive research in this area and would like to share also this is useful for our military.. If you are a member of the military and away from your usual duty station, you may place an "active duty alert" on your credit report to help minimize the risk of identity theft while you are deployed. When a business sees the alert on your credit report, it must verify your identity before issuing you credit. The business may try to contact you directly, but if you're on deployment, that may be impossible. As a result, the law allows you to use a personal representative to place or remove an alert. This is called a power of attorney like a spouse or family member. Active duty alerts on your report are effective for one year, unless you request that the alert be removed sooner. If your deployment lasts longer, you may place another alert on your report. To place an "active duty" alert, or to have it removed, call the toll-free fraud number of one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, or Trans Union. The company will require you to provide appropriate proof of your identity, which may include your Social Security number, your name, address, and other personal information. • Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com • Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com • TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com Contact only one of the three companies to place an alert - the company you call is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report, as well. If your contact information changes before your alert expires, remember to update it. When you place an active duty alert, your name will be removed from the nationwide consumer reporting companies' marketing lists for prescreened offers of credit and insurance for two years - unless you ask that your name be placed on the lists before then. Prescreened offers - sometimes called "preapproved" offers - are based on information in your credit report that indicates you meet certain criteria set by the offer. I have done extensive research in this area and would like to share also this is useful for our military..

If you are a member of the military and away from your usual duty station, you may place an “active duty alert” on your credit report to help minimize the risk of identity theft while you are deployed. When a business sees the alert on your credit report, it must verify your identity before issuing you credit. The business may try to contact you directly, but if you’re on deployment, that may be impossible. As a result, the law allows you to use a personal representative to place or remove an alert. This is called a power of attorney like a spouse or family member. Active duty alerts on your report are effective for one year, unless you request that the alert be removed sooner. If your deployment lasts longer, you may place another alert on your report.

To place an “active duty” alert, or to have it removed, call the toll-free fraud number of one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, or Trans Union. The company will require you to provide appropriate proof of your identity, which may include your Social Security number, your name, address, and other personal information.

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; http://www.equifax.com
• Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); http://www.experian.com
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; http://www.transunion.com

Contact only one of the three companies to place an alert – the company you call is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report, as well. If your contact information changes before your alert expires, remember to update it.

When you place an active duty alert, your name will be removed from the nationwide consumer reporting companies’ marketing lists for prescreened offers of credit and insurance for two years – unless you ask that your name be placed on the lists before then. Prescreened offers – sometimes called “preapproved” offers – are based on information in your credit report that indicates you meet certain criteria set by the offer.

]]> By: thank a ton http://www.askmrcreditcard.com/creditcardblog/in-case-of-identity-theft-check-your-criminal-records/comment-page-1/#comment-96195 thank a ton Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:38:32 +0000 http://www.askmrcreditcard.com/creditcardblog/?p=641#comment-96195 Thank you for the article. My dentity was stolen years ago and I fixed my credit but I never looked into my criminal background. I am started this process straight away. Where were people like you 9 years ago. Back then there wasn't a lot of info available. Thank you for the article. My dentity was stolen years ago and I fixed my credit but I never looked into my criminal background. I am started this process straight away. Where were people like you 9 years ago. Back then there wasn’t a lot of info available.

]]> By: Radek M. Gadek http://www.askmrcreditcard.com/creditcardblog/in-case-of-identity-theft-check-your-criminal-records/comment-page-1/#comment-86358 Radek M. Gadek Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:46:11 +0000 http://www.askmrcreditcard.com/creditcardblog/?p=641#comment-86358 Great article. I know of a friend that had his identity stolen thus ending up having warrants for his arrest. Well, not his, but you get the idea. I checked those for him and told him to report identity theft. I wish he checked his credit and criminal record long time ago, but it's usually done after the fact. He solved the dilemma, but it took over a year to clear his good name. Thanks for the info, Radek M. Gadek Author of <a href="http://criminaljusticeonlineblog.com/archives/2008/10/criminal-justice-online-courses/" rel="nofollow">Criminal Justice Online Degree Courses</a>. Great article. I know of a friend that had his identity stolen thus ending up having warrants for his arrest. Well, not his, but you get the idea. I checked those for him and told him to report identity theft. I wish he checked his credit and criminal record long time ago, but it’s usually done after the fact. He solved the dilemma, but it took over a year to clear his good name.

Thanks for the info,

Radek M. Gadek
Author of Criminal Justice Online Degree Courses.

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