According to 2018 Identity Fraud: Fraud Enters a New Era of Complexity from Javelin Strategy & Research, in 2017, there were 16.7 million victims of identity fraud, a record high that followed a previous record the year before. Criminals are engaging in complex identity fraud schemes that are leaving record numbers of victims in their wake. The amount stolen hit $16.8 billion last year as 30 percent of U.S. consumers were notified exposure to a data breach last year, an increase of 12 percent from 2016. For the first time, more Social Security numbers were exposed than credit card numbers.
In Arizona, there were over 8,000 cases of identity theft last year. Most of those whom fallen victim to fraudsters have their credit ruined. Here is what you do if you are a victim of identity theft:
- Call the police and file a police report.
- Call your lender, and notify them if your card has been stolen. Many credit card companies offer immediate refunds for fraudulent charges and may also be willing to contact the credit bureaus on your behalf. Do this immediately after filing the police report. The longer you wait, your chances of reversing the charges diminish.
- Call us to help you dispute the fraudulent accounts or the existing accounts fraudulently used. With our assistance, we can help you repair your credit after the damage caused by Identity Theft.
