When your identity is stolen, it is often done by a friend or a relative. This can be a sticky situation to be in. You may feel violated and that your trust has been completely betrayed. You may find it difficult to trust anyone again. These are valid feelings. Additionally you may have a hard time turning that person in or filing a police report, because of the ramifications it may have on that person.
It is important to realize that identity theft is not your fault. You did not do anything wrong. If you feel betrayed you should find a healthy way to deal with these feelings. You may decide to write the person a letter or to cut off ties with that person entirely. It should make you more cautious about the information that you do use.
Additionally you should take the time to file a police report. This is the only way that you will be able to fix your credit report. Although it may be difficult to file a report on someone you know, you need to do it. If you are feeling guilty about it, don’t. You didn’t do anything wrong, and these cases are rarely prosecuted. The credit card companies may come after the person to get their money back.
If you are receiving pressure from other friends or family members about not filing a police report, you need to remember to act in your own self-interest. Your credit history is the one at stake, and you will be the one responsible for repaying that money unless you take the necessary steps to begin disputing the charges.
If you do not know who stole your identity you can steal file a report that it has been stolen. Take the time to request that the paperwork regarding the loan or credit card be sent to you. This information may help you to identify who stole your identity. It may also help police catch someone who has stolen several people’s identities.
You may need to change your checking account number, as well as close all of the accounts that you have open. Take the time to set up alerts on your credit reports. This will help to protect you in the future.
