Step 3 - Inspect Your Credit Report

The FTC has some excellent information about detecting identity theft.

“Detect suspicious activity by routinely monitoring your financial accounts and billing statements. If you are unable to take these steps while you are deployed, consider placing an active duty alert on your credit report.’

“Inspect: Your credit report. Credit reports contain information about you, including what accounts you have and your bill-paying history.

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“The law requires each of the major nationwide consumer reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to give you a free copy of your credit report every year if you ask for it.”

“Visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228, a service created by these three companies, to order your free credit reports each year. You also can write: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.”

“Your financial statements. Review your financial accounts and read your billing statements regularly, looking for charges you did not make. If you review financial accounts online from a public computer, be sure to log off financial sites before you end your session.”

“Be alert to signs that require immediate attention:

• Bills that do not arrive as expected
• Unexpected credit cards or account statements
• Denials of credit for no apparent reason
• Calls or letters about purchases you did not make “

From:http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/military/detect.html

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