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Home FAQs Fraud Alert Identity Theft Links President's Letter Change Student ID Number Contact: Communication Center 800-433-7747 |
Fraud AlertThe following information is from the Federal Trade Commission. For more information on the four steps the FTC recommends you take if you feel you have been a victim of identity theft, visit Fighting Back Against Identify Theft, Federal Trade Commission. Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening accounts in your name. Contact the toll-free fraud number of any of the three consumer reporting companies below to place a fraud alert on your credit report. Credit reports contain information about you, including what accounts you have and how you pay your bills. The law requires each of the major nationwide consumer reporting agencies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. If an identity thief is opening credit accounts in your name, these accounts are likely to show up on your credit report. You only need to contact 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, too.
Once you place the fraud alert in your file, you're entitled to order one free copy of your credit report from each of the three consumer reporting companies, and, if you ask, only the last four digits of your Social Security number will appear on your credit reports. Once you get your credit reports, review them carefully. Look for inquiries from companies you haven't contacted, accounts you didn't open, and debts on your accounts that you can't explain. Disclaimer: Materials presented here are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Users are advised to contact an attorney directly whenever considering a matter with legal implications. Ferris State University does not access student credit reports. |