From PROSECUTOR DAN TURNER | 9th-East Judicial District
Local law enforcement has made recent arrests related to identity theft and similar fraudulent activity. It is important that consumers are vigilant in protecting their personal information. If you suspect your personal information has been compromised or you are the victim of identity theft, it is important that you act quickly to protect yourself and minimize damage that thieves can inflict. It is always important to notify law enforcement and make reports of thefts or suspected identity theft. The Arkansas Attorney General’s office also has information and reports that consumers can complete online.
Here are some additional recommended Tips for Victims of Identity Theft:
- File a fraud alert with one of the three national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion.
- File a police report with your local law enforcement and get a copy of the report as soon as it is available.
- Get a copy of an identity theft booklet, which provides step-by-step instructions for dealing with identity thieves, including affidavits and forms for your financial institutions.
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
- Cancel any accounts you believe have been compromised or have been opened fraudulently.
- Consider placing a security freeze on your credit report to restrict access and help prevent additional instances of identity theft.
- Consider applying for an ID Theft Passport from the Attorney General’s Office.
- File an identity theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission or call (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338). https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/
- Consider placing a security freeze on your credit report.
Identity Theft Passport
In 2005, the Arkansas Legislature approved Act 744, which gives the Attorney General authority to issue an identity theft passport to an Arkansas resident who learns or reasonably suspects that he or she is a victim of financial identity fraud and who has filed a police report.
The identity theft passport is a card, similar in appearance to a driver’s license, is designed to assist financial identity fraud victims in re-establishing their good names. This passport may also help prevent a victim’s arrest for other criminal offenses committed by the identity thief.
The FTC is also a valuable resource for information on protecting against identity theft and other useful information. Additional information is available through the FTC at https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/identity-theft