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There are several agencies you can
contact for help when a victim on identity theft...
If you have reason to believe that someone
has filed bankruptcy under your name, contact the U.S. Trustee (UST).
The U.S. Trustee will make a referral to the proper law enforcement
personnel, but will not provide legal advice. For a list of contact
information, visit www.usdoj.gov/ust or check in the Blue Pages of your
phone book.
If you suspect that someone has inappropriately made changes with your
investments, contact the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
A complaint can be filed with the SEC at www.sec.gov/complaint.shtml .
They can also be contacted by writing to SEC Office of Investor
Education and Assistance, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington DC,
20549-0213 or by calling 202-942-7040.
To report mail theft, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Office (USPIS)
at www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect. The USPIS enforces the laws of
the U.S. Postal Service. In addition, the USPIS investigates identity
theft, primarily those that involve the use of the U.S. mail. This
applies to cases of mail being stolen to get credit card or bank
statements, tax information, new credit cards, and falsified
change-of-address forms.
The United States Department of State (USDS) should be contacted if you
have lost your passport or if it has been stolen or used fraudulently.
They can be reached at ww.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html.
Or, their local offices can be located by looking in the Blue Pages of
the telephone book.
To report fraud, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) at
www.ssa.gov. This is particularly important because buying and selling
social security cards can be related to terrorist activity. A complaint
can also be filed by calling 1-800-269-0271 or by writing SSA Fraud
Hotline, P.O. Box 17768, Baltimore, MD 21235.
In the case of tax fraud, contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at
www.treas.gov/irs/ci.
Several government agencies are also available to investigate cases of
identity theft. To request assistance from the Department of Justice
(DOJ) in identity theft, visit www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) can be reached by visiting
www.fbi.gov or by looking in the Blue Pages of the phone book. In
addition, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) can be reached at www.treas.gov/usss.
This agency will investigate cases of substantial dollar loss.
Identity theft is a serious crime and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Through proper preventative techniques, identity theft can be prevented.
If it should happen to you, however, make sure to contact the proper
agencies to get the help you need.
Terms &
Disclaimers
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