Identity theft is a common problem. The hardest part to deal with is that often you know the person who stole your identity, and when you find out there is an enormous sense of betrayal and hurt. There are things that you need to in order to protect yourself. Personally I know two different people who have had their identity stolen.
One had a credit card opened in her name. The mailing address was the same as the address that she lived at. The card didn't have very many charges because it was canceled as soon as the payments stopped coming, which they never did. This person realized that it must have been a roommate at the time, because the return address was correct and she never saw the bills in the mail.
Another person I know had her signature forged as a cosigner on the loan. She found out once the bank starting making collection calls to her. She was fortunate that she knew who to file a police report against and the bank worked with her to clear it up quickly.
When you find out you have been a victim of identity theft you may feel a sense of guilt because you have to file a police report stating that your identity was stolen. You may worry about the long term consequences for a family member or a friend, but the simple matter is that you need to protect your credit score. Additionally you should realize that protecting people from the consequences of their actions will not lead to changed behavior.
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