Helping Mom Recover from Identity Theft
As a family caregiver, one of your responsibilities may be helping your mom manage her finances. So, what happens if you discover charges on her credit card that don’t appear to be hers or if you find out someone has opened an account in her name? Hopefully that never happens, but if it does, knowing what to do to begin the recovery process could minimize the damage and make the process less stressful. Here are some of the steps family caregivers will need to take to help a parent recover from identity theft. The order in which you take these steps may depend on the type of theft that has occurred, so there isn’t necessarily a right or wrong order as long as you take action to correct the problem right away.
Call the Local Police Department
Call the police and ask to file a report regarding identity theft. The police will probably want to see a photo ID for your mother, such as a driver’s license or other government issued ID. They may also need proof of her address of residence; a utility bill or mortgage statement should suffice. Show the police any proof you have of the identity theft. Ask for a copy of the police report as it may be necessary during the recovery process.
Close or Lock the Problem Account
Contact the company that holds the account where the theft has occurred and talk to someone in the fraud department. Ask to have the account closed or locked so that there can be no more fraudulent charges. Change all PIN numbers, passwords, and logins associated with the account.
Contact a Major Credit Bureau
There are three major credit bureaus, but you only need to contact one to create a fraud alert; the credit bureau you contact is required to contact the other two. The three credit bureaus are:
- com/fraud – 1 (800) 680-7289
- com/fraudalert – 1 (888) 397-3742
- com/CreditReportAssistance – 1 (888) 766-0008
There is no cost for creating a fraud alert. The fraud alert will make it more difficult for people to open accounts in your mom’s name. She will receive letters from each of the credit bureaus confirming that a fraud alert was placed.
Request and Review a Credit Report
Get a copy of your mom’s credit report and look it over thoroughly, looking for any charges or accounts that are fraudulent. Make sure your mom’s name, address, and social security number appear correctly on the report.
File a Report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Depending on the extent of the identity theft, you may need to file a report with the FTC. You can visit their website at IdentityTheft.gov or call them at 1 (877) 438-4338. When you create an account with the FTC, they will help you through the recovery process.
Throughout the process of helping your mom to recover from identity theft, you should document all calls and actions you take. Keep any documentation your mom receives. Alert other family caregivers of the problem so that they can also help to monitor your mom’s mail for other signs of identity theft and are prepared to receive any calls from authorities or companies involved in the case.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a professional caregiver in Dothan, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.
Sources
http://www.ct.gov/dcp/cwp/view.asp?Q=289488
https://www.isp.state.il.us/docs/IdentityTheftARecoveryPlan.pdf