Identity Theft Info 

 
 

 

 
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Identity Theft

A few weeks ago I received a letter informing me of a compromise to a computer system and that  I should immediately contact the three credit bureaus and put a Fraud Alert on my accounts. I could be a victim of identify theft. 
 
The compromise was with a state organization (which will remain nameless) which required my social security number to be certified to teach. Since I taught at the National Association of REALTORS Conference in 2006, this information was provided to 37 states. 

The next few days were frantic. I did everything I was supposed to do, but I still get a knot in my stomach when I think about it.      

Identity theft has become a crime that affects 9 million Americans from all walks of life each year. The average victim spends 175 hours trying to combat the effects of identity theft.

The Identify Theft Prevention and Response Manual will help people save themselves the time of researching exactly what to do if they ever were to become a victim.

Save this packet, hopefully you will never need it. But just like a fire extinguisher, keep it handy in case the need ever arises.

Download - FREE Identify Theft Prevention and Response Manual

Federal Trade Commission Info
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft//

Social Security Online
If Your Social Security Card has been misused or must be replaced.   
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm  

Lifelock - Guarantee your good name.  I heard about this company on Paul Harvey.
www.lifelock.com 


FREE Annual Credit Report
www.annualcreditreport.com


Credit Bureau Information

Equifax:
1-800-525-6285
www.equifax.com
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
www.experian.com
P.O. Box 9532
Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
www.transunion.com
Fraud Victim Assistance Division
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834-6790




State Security Freeze Laws

California
Available for all consumers.


Passed: September 2001.

Effective: January 1, 2003.

Freeze Fee: none for victims, others pay up to $10 per freeze.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: $10 for temporary lifting for a given period,
$12 for temporary lift for one creditor.

Colorado
Available for all consumers.

Passed: June 2005

Effective: July 1, 2006.

Freeze Fee: none for first freeze, $10 per subsequent freeze.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: $10 for temporary lifting for a given period,
$12 for temporary lift for one creditor.

Connecticut
Available for all consumers.

Passed: June 24, 2005.

Effective: January 1, 2006.

Freeze Fee: $10.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: $10 for temporary lifting for a given period,
$12 for temporary lift for one creditor.

Delaware
Available for all consumers.

Passed: June 24, 2005.

Effective: September 28, 2006

Freeze Fee: $20.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: free to temporarily lift for a given period or for a specific creditor.

Florida
Available for all consumers.

Passed: April 2006.

Effective: July 1, 2006.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft with investigative report or seniors aged 65+. 
For others, the fee is $10.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: $10 to temporarily lift or remove.

Hawaii

Available only for victims of identity theft
with a police investigative report or complaint filed with a law enforcement agency.

Passed: April 2006.

Effective: January 1, 2007.

Freeze Fee: none.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none.

Illinois
Available for all consumers. 

Passed: May 24, 2006

Effective: January 1, 2007.

Freeze Fee: none for seniors 65+, $10 for others.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for seniors 65+, $10 for others to remove or temporarily thaw.

Kansas

Available only for victims of identity theft
with a policy investigative report or a complaint filed with a law enforcement agency.

Passed: April 2006.

Effective: January 1, 2007.

Freeze Fee: none.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none.

Kentucky
Available for all consumers.

Passed: March 24, 2006.

Effective: July 1, 2006.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft with a police report, $10 for others.
Note: the freeze expires 7 years from date of placement.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft with a police report,
$10 for others to remove, temporarily thaw, or have PIN reissued.

Louisiana
Available for all consumers.

Passed: 2004.

Effective: July 1, 2005.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft or individuals age 62 or older, $10 for others.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft, $8 for others.

Maine
Available for all consumers.

Passed: May 2005.

Effective: February 1, 2006.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft who provide a police report, $10 for others.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft who provide a police report,
$10 to remove, temporarily thaw, or have PIN reissued, and $12 to lift for a specific creditor.

Minnesota
Available for all consumers.

Passed: May 2006.

Effective: August 1, 2006.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft who provide a police report, $5 for others.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft who provide a police report;
for others, $5 to remove, temporarily thaw, have PIN reissued, or lift for a specific creditor.

Nevada
Available for all consumers.

Passed: June 2005.

Effective: October 1, 2005.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft who provide a police report, $15 for others.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft who provide a police report; for others,
$18 to remove and $20 to lift for a specific creditor.

New Hampshire
Available for all consumers.

Passed: May 2006.

Effective: January 1, 2007.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft who provide a police report,
investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency, and $10 for others.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft who provide a police report,
investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency, and $10 for others.

New Jersey
Available for all consumers.

Passed: September 22, 2005.

Effective: January 1, 2006.

Freeze Fee: none for initial freeze

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: up to $5 to remove, thaw, or have PIN reissued. 

Note: requested can be made directly to consumer reporting agencies via email.

New York
Available for all consumers.

Passed: June 2006.

Effective: November 1, 2006.

Freeze Fee: none for initial freeze, and, for non-victims, $5 for subsequent freezes.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft, $5 for others. 

Oklahoma
Available for all consumers.

Passed: May 2006.

Effective: January 1, 2007.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft or seniors 65+, $10 for others.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft or seniors 65+, $10 for others. 

Note: to find the bill, click “Oklahoma,” select Senate, 2006 Regular Session and Enrolled
then click search.  Scroll to SB 1748.

North Carolina
Available for all consumers.

Passed: September 21, 2005.

Effective: December 1, 2005.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft, $10 for others.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft,
$10 for others to remove or temporarily thaw.

Rhode Island
Available for all consumers.

Passed: June 30, 2006.

Effective: September 28, 2006.

Freeze Fee: none for victims of identity theft or seniors 65+, $10 for others.

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none for victims of identity theft or seniors 65+,
$10 for others to remove or temporarily thaw.

South Dakota
Available for victims of identity theft with a police report.

Passed: March 2006.

Effective: July 1, 2006.

Freeze Fee: none. 

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none.

Note: the freeze expires 7 years from the date of placement or upon consumer’s request.

Texas
Available for victims of identity theft with a police report.

Passed: June 2003.

Effective: September 1, 2003.

Freeze Fee: none. 

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none.

Utah
Available for all consumers.

Passed: March 2006.

Effective: September 1, 2008.

Freeze Fee: “reasonable” rates. 

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: “reasonable” rates.

Vermont
Now is available for all consumers (before July 1, 2006, only for identity theft victims).

Passed: originally approved June 2004.

Effective: originally July 1, 2005.

Freeze Fee: None for victims, up to $10 others

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: None for victims, up to $5 others

Washington
Available for identity theft victims, including persons
who receive a notice of a security breach of computerized personal information.

Passed: May 2005.

Effective: July 24, 2005.

Freeze Fee: none. 

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: none.

Wisconsin
Available for all consumers.

Passed: March 16, 2006.

Effective: January 1, 2007.

Freeze Fee: None for an “individual who submits evidence satisfactory to the CRAs
that the individual made a report to a law enforcement agency,” and up to $10 for others. 

Thaw (or Temporary Lift) Fee: None for an “individual who submits evidence satisfactory to the CRAs
that the individual made a report to a law enforcement agency,” and up to $10 for others to remove or temporarily thaw. 




 

 

   
 
    Copyright © 2006 - 2008 by Joyce Bea Sterling, DREI