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Originally Posted On: https://www.mailletcriminallaw.com/how-an-attorney-can-help-you-if-you-have-been-a-victim-of-identity-theft

 

In 2020, it is estimated that 47% of people in the United States experienced financial identity theft. The combined cost of each of these cases was $712.4 billion dollars. Identity theft is a serious problem that affects millions each year, so it is vital that you learn how to proceed after your identity has been stolen.

 

Do you want to learn more about how an attorney can help you if you are a victim of identity theft?

Keep reading this article to learn more about what steps an attorney will help you with after you have had your identity stolen.

 

Report to the FTC

 

The first step you need to take after identity theft is to report identity theft to the FTC. You can simply do this by visiting identitytheft.gov and filling out your information. When you do this, you will get a personal recovery plan that will guide you through the next steps of recovering your identity.

 

You will also get an identity theft report. You may need to give this to the police, creditors, and other businesses to prove that your identity has been stolen.

 

An attorney can help you fill out this report and will make sure that you don’t miss any important information.

 

File Police Report

 

Something else that an identity theft attorney will help you with after identity theft is filing a police report. Because identity theft is a major crime, having a police report will help you find the person who was responsible for stealing your identity.

 

This will help you clear up your credit issues, especially if the thief is using your name to open up new lines of credit or using your finances for something else.

 

In order to get a police report, you will often need a copy of the identity theft report from the FTC, your government-issued photo identification, and proof that you have of the theft.

 

Remove False Information on Credit Reports

 

Another important step you need to take after being the victim of identity theft is removing false information on your credit reports. If your identity was stolen, the thief may add a lot of debt to your credit card and they may even take out loans under your name.

 

If they fail to make payments on these debts, it can cause serious problems for your credit score. If your credit score decreases, it will be harder to get loans that you need in the future, like when you are buying a home.

 

By working with an identity theft attorney, they can help you remove this false information from your credit report.

 

Contact Financial Institutions

 

You also must stop the thief from opening new accounts in your name, as this can cause problems with your credit report. Because of this, you must contact the credit reporting agencies to put a credit freeze on your account.

 

This way, potential creditors will not be able to look at your credit history and will stop the identity thief from opening new lines of credit.

 

Your identity theft attorney can contact financial institutions for you to close your accounts, initiate fraud alerts, and start a credit freeze. This can be a lengthy process for you, so having an attorney take care of this for you can lower your stress after your identity was stolen.

 

Because your attorney has experience communicating with these institutions, they will help you retain your rights and will make sure these institutions, especially debt collection agencies, do not contact you in the future.

 

Secure Your Financial Accounts

 

Next, an identity theft attorney can help you secure your financial accounts to offer additional identity theft protection. For example, if you have realized that someone has stolen your identity, you need to make sure they don’t have access to any other accounts in your name.

 

As was mentioned before, you have to contact all major creditors to make sure your accounts stay secure and to prevent future financial losses.

 

By hiring an identity theft attorney, they will take care of these steps for you to save you time and money. Plus, it will provide you with peace of mind. When you have had your identity stolen, you need to ensure that it will not happen again.

 

Working with your attorney will help secure your financial accounts to prevent further problems with your finances.

 

Recover Financial Losses

 

When your identity is stolen, it often leads to great financial losses and other issues. While this money can be difficult to recover on your own, your identity theft attorney can help you recover these financial losses.

 

First, they can help you claim your money from your credit card issuer. You are covered under the Consumer Credit Act, so if someone makes unauthorized payments from your accounts, you can get your money back.

 

However, you can also sue the person who stole your identity. Having an attorney on your side during this legal process will ensure that you recover your damages and any other costs associated with your identity theft.

 

Prevent Future Identity Theft

 

Finally, working with an identity theft attorney can help you prevent future identity theft. If you have gotten your identity stolen, there is no way to know exactly which accounts have been compromised.

 

Your attorney can help you identify ways to protect your information. For example, they can help you change and strengthen your online passwords and can provide you with other tips to follow.

 

You can start by never clicking links on emails from unknown senders, shredding important papers, and reviewing your credit report at least one time each year.

 

Victim of Identity Theft? Find an Attorney Today

 

If you are the victim of identity theft, it can feel overwhelming to regain control of your personal information. Something that can help with this breach of privacy is hiring an identity theft attorney.

 

Are you looking for an identity theft attorney in Georgia? Maillet Criminal Law can help! Our criminal defense attorney can help you understand Georgia’s identity theft laws and can help you improve the outcome of your identity theft case.

 

Contact our team today to learn more about our services and to get a free case evaluation!