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Identity Theft: Six Steps Every Victim MUST Follow…

Cleaning up the mess left by identity theft is time consuming, stressful, and expensive. Some people actually give up and just pay off the fraudulent charges of identity theft because it’s the only way that they can improve their credit rating. Here are the steps you need to follow if you believe that you are a victim of identity theft:

Step 1: Contact the Three Major Credit Bureaus

Contact the fraud departments at each bureau. Explain that you are a victim of identity theft and that you would like to be contacted personally before any credit is issued in your name.

Equifax (800) 525-6285

Experian (888) 397-3742

TransUnion (800) 680-7289

Insist that they place the account under investigation for identity theft if it is to remain on your credit report.

Step 2: Order Your Credit Report.

Order your credit reports to check for accounts that may have been fraudulently opened in your name. As the victim of identity theft, you are entitled to a free copy of your report from each credit bureau.

Step 3: File a Police Report

Companies who have issued credit in your name will not take you seriously without a police report, which will protect your legal rights.

Step 4: Contact Your Local Post Office

If you were a victim of identity theft due to someone stealing your mail to obtain your information, officially report this fact to your local postmaster.

Step 5: Contact the Social Security Administration and Department of Motor Vehicles

If the thief is using your social security or driver’s license number to commit identity theft, you might need to obtain new numbers from these agencies.

Step 6: Contact All The Companies Who Granted Credit to the Identity Thief

Communicating by telephone does not protect your rights. Send certified letters and insist that they communicate with you in writing.

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Consolidating Credit Card Debt Are you having a problem meeting the payments on your credit cards? If so you may be interested in knowing more about consolidating credit card debt. Consolidating debt is not to be taken lightly as borrowing more if you are struggling with payments now is not always the best solution. However When you consolidate, you can take your existing debts and consolidate them into one loan generally over a longer period. This should result in a lower monthly payment overall., with only one payment to worry about instead of several smaller ones. Tidying up your finances can restore some stability and piece of mind for you. You will find that getting things organized in this manner will give you more insight into your actual financial situation and make it easier to deal with. Before considering a consolidation loan do take proper advice, it is a risky strategy to borrow more to pay off existing debt but if lowering your existing payments does the trick then it is a usefull solution. Depending on the amount you owe and your current financial standing you may qualify for an interest free credit card. This would enable you to transfer your existing credit card balances to the new card on an interest free basis. Well worth considering, especiially if you think you could pay off the balance in say 12 – 15 months. For larger amounts spread over a longer period a loan is the answer. You can apply for an unsecured loan (best option if possible) or if you have sufficient equity in a property, then a secured loan may be available. In this case speak with your existing lender first as they may be able to offer you better terms than elsewhere. There are many online resources for researching a new loan but do your sums carefully and if your not sure get some independent financial advice. Before making an application it is well worth getting a copy of your credit file. This will also tell you your credit score. Also if there are any errors on your file (which are not uncommon and can result in applications being declined) you can ask for these to be removed, prior to making your loan application. When it comes to making the application do be truthful about your circumstances. It is almost impossible to lie and not be found out as your details are all on a database somewhere and finance companies and banks invariably use the “Credit Reference Agencies” who hold all your details. Finally, do be sure you can afford the repayments. There is little point in digging a bigger hole for yourself if you can’t and other options may be necessary. Possibly Debt Counseling. For further help visit my main debt sites:  Debt Free – Debt Help Simply happy & Debt Free Video Get Out Of Debt Blog

Debt Consolidation Help – Where Can You Go?
Is it a good idea to Consolidate Debt?

There are certain times in everybody’s life where they may need some help, and having trouble with the amount of debt you have is no exception. It is best to look for help when you need it, instead of avoiding it out of shame and embarrassment. If you look consolidate debt help at an early stage, before things get too out of hand, you will find that you are in a much better position to get things handled. There are places you can go that will give you debt consolidation help, and they are both online and offline. You may want to check out both to get a good idea of what your options are.

You can start by going to you own bank and talking over the situation with someone there. They have easy access to your records and can tell you on the spot what your credit rating looks like, and whether you would qualify for a debt consolidation loan. Basically, you can get all the information that you need in one sitting to determine your next step, and carry that information forward with you if you need to look elsewhere for help. Sometimes your own bank will approve you for a loan faster than another institution, if they can see a past history that is honest and reliable.

If you need to go online to see what your options are, you can look for banking institutions that will give you a free online quote. They will often give you an answer either on the same day as your request, or the next day. Even though it may seem impersonal, online banking, and loan handling, has become quite popular on the Internet. There are different options on the web, and one of them is getting a loan that has a higher interest rate than an offline bank, in exchange for easier approval rates. You may find that you can save thousands of dollars by getting an online debt consolidation loan.

One other place to check out is the debt help agency in your city or town. They are able to work with your creditors to freeze the interest rates on your cards and replace your monthly payments with one smaller monthly payment. This is also a good route to go as you will feel less burdened with only one payment, and you will be able to pay off your debt without constantly paying high interest rates. This debt consolidation help will get you back on your feet, and debt-free before you know it.

If you are interested in leading a simpler life debt free check this out: Simply Living Debt Free

[youtube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=F–Sps6cCOw[/youtube]

We have a good debt help site here:  Debt Free

We will try and give you the best debt advice possible. I will publish articles which will show you how to get out of debt and then remain debt free. I am a financial advisor by profession but of course advice given here is generic and I would urge you to seek professional help at the earliest opportunity.

One of the first things you may need is a copy of your credit file. There are many sources of debt advice available. Some of the debt charities offer very good debt advice and will go to some lengths to help you get out of debt.

There are a good number of professional debt help companies but you need to ask the total cost of their services as some can be very expensive. If you choose a debt help company wisely though, then they are able to lift the burden from your shoulders and show you how to get out of debt completely, in a relatively short time.

Do be aware that using a debt management company and coming to an arrangement with creditors, can damage your credit rating. However, this may be a price worth paying to remove the enormous amount of stress that being in debt can cause.

I have made some recommendations below of companies which as far as can be judged are reputable and fair.

The one thing you can do without when looking for debt free and advice, is further expense. Therefore as far as possible I try to locate debt help services which have no initial cost to you.

One of the most important things to do in your quest to learn how to get out of debt is to obtain a copy of your credit file and your credit score. The company I recommend will provide you with 3 credit reports and 3 credit scores free of charge.

I recommend FreeCreditReports360.com you get 3 credit reports and your credit score and it’s a free service. See below: