Identity Theft - There's Help Available

August 14, 2007

A new law that went into effect July 1 will give you a tool to prevent identity thieves from obtaining your information and using it to open new accounts or make large purchases in your name. Yes, it's the Credit Freeze bill I worked so hard on during the session along with the Attorney General, the AARP and Miss New Mexico, Christina Hall. A special thanks to those of you out there who helped. Here's how the new law work. You can pro-actively prevent unauthorized access to your credit report even before you have your mail stolen(as I did) or even know that your identity has been misused by following these steps. Send either regular or certified letters to all three credit reporting agencies that include your full name, current address, Social Security number, date of birth, a copy of a government-issued ID card and proof of your address (such as a utility bill). If you have been a victim of identity theft, include a copy of a police report. Tell'em you want your credit report frozen. Unless you are a victim of ID theft, or are over 65, you must include a payment of $10 for each freeze.

Here are the addresses to which to send your letters (be sure to make copies):

Experian, PO Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013, Transunion, Fraud Victim Assistance Department, 1561 E. Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton, CA, 92831, and Equifax, Attention Security Freeze, PO Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348.

The companies will notify you that your credit has been frozen and issue you a pin number which you can use to access your report when you want to make a big purchase like a car or truck. It costs $5 to release the information in this way. (unless you're over 65 or a victim of ID theft) , and the companies must do it quickly in three days for now, and then, within 15 minutes, next year. Then, you can rest secure in the knowledge that-- in these days of repeated credit card solicitations, nasty divorces wherein one party tries to use credit information to make life difficult for the other, and so much personal information floating around in your handbag and over the internet for the most part, only you have access to your own credit information.

For other ways that you can protect yourself against identity theft or deal with it if you are a victim, go to the Attorney General's web page at www.ago.state.nm.us and access the new Identity Theft Prevention and Repair Kit. The booklet can also be obtained by calling the AG's office at 222-9000 in Albuquerque or 827-6000 in Santa Fe.