ID Theft

Concerned that I might become victim of Identity Theft/Fraud. How to protect? Additional details are below:?

I sent a completed application to Bank of America to open a new Brokerage Acct with a copy of my passport, copy of my driver license, my social security number, my checking acct no and bank routing number by fax. Bank of America said they have not received the faxed documents. I am really concerned that if these documents fall in wrong hand, it can misused for any purpose. I am 100% sure that the Bank received the fax since I have fax confirmation receipt. Can you please advise me on the followings? I will close my bank account. But the submitted documents can be misused for getting loans and credit cards etc. How can I protect my self against this? Is there any insurance available? I really want to complain against Bank of america since the bank is taking this lightly and hesitant in doing any investigation of this issue. I am just a small customer which means nothing to the bank. Is there any organization where I can submit this complaint against this bank?

Public Comments

1. Contact the reporting bureaus (links below) and ask them to put a warning on your credit report. Tell them what happened and it shouldn't be a problem. The warning will require anyone extending credit to verify that you are actually the person applying for credit. They will use additional means to verify your authenticity (like showing up in person somewhere to show proof). I wouldn't worry about closing your account at BofA. They probably employ an idiot that lost your paperwork, but your account wouldn't (shouldn't) be a problem. Try and contact someone there as well and tell them that you would like a warning put on your accounts there as well. They should have something in place to do that.
2. --10 MILLION people per year are victims of Identity Theft. --Todays growing target for criminals; are children and teens identities (SS#). Why? Because parents never think to check/protect their childrens reports. 1) run a free credit report from each agency (your allowed one free one per year, per agency). you need to know, so you need to get them. 2) Check your childrens also (check the link below as to how to) 3) if ID Theft has occurred, you need to make a police report first. the rest of what you need to do, is listed in the links below (with GREAT info too). 4) some states allow you to 'lock' or 'freeze' credit reports; to protect against theft. if your state allows it, lock 'em down. that way, no one can open an account on them. 5) once you discover their credit reports have activity on them, then contact each credit reporting agency (the 3 major ones) and report the ID Theft... and request they lock the reports (usually they automatically do it, but ask for it anyway). REMEMBER; you are only allowed to run credit reports on YOURSELF and YOUR MINOR CHILDREN (NO, not when they are adults). To run a report on anyone else, they have to authorize it, and you better have proof of that authorization. If you do it without their knowledge, you are legally liable and they can not only report you to the state/federal authorities, but they may decide to sue you in a court of law. http://www.ftc.gov/credit/ http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/index.html http://www.ftc.gov/os/2002/05/67fr36585.pdf “…security or integrity of such records; and protect against unauthorized access to or use of such records or information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer. EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective on May 23, 2003.” 'Active Duty' Alerts Help Protect Military Personnel from Identity Theft http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/dutyalrt.htm ID THEFT HELP/ INFO http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html http://www.ic3.gov/ http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/con_steps.htm http://www.idtheftcenter.org/index.shtml http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/credit/index.html http://www.fraudguides.com/consumer-identity-theft-children.asp http://www.ripoffreport.com/ http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/ http://www.ncpc.org/media/current.php https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/widtpubl$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU03 http://www.myidfix.com/ http://www.identitytheftassistance.org/index.html http://identitytheftnow.com/ ORDERING CHILDRENS REPORTS (yes, its free) https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/helpfaq ORDERING YOURS: ONLINE, PHONE, MAIL (yes, its free) https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/order FAQ ABOUT CREDIT REPORTS https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/helpfaq FAIR DEBT COLLECTION http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.htm STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/statue-limitations-explained.html EACH STATES SoL http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/statue-limitations.html http://www.fair-credit-reporting.com/credit-laws/credit-reporting-periods.html CAPITAL ONE http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/YourCreditRating/WeirdStuffThatHurtsYourCredit.aspx?GT1=8885 Capital One refuses to report its customers' credit limits to the three major credit bureaus. Instead, the bureaus use the highest balance a customer has charged as a proxy for the limit. As a result, the customers' all-important "debt utilization ratios" -- the portion of their available credit these borrowers are actually using -- can appear artificially high. That can depress borrowers' credit scores, the three-digit numbers lenders use to help determine creditworthiness. Lower credit scores can mean higher interest rates on mortgages, car loans and other borrowing, as well as potentially higher insurance premiums, since many insurers also use credit-scoring systems to help gauge risk. CREDIT REPORT INFO / REPAIRS / DISPUTES http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre21.htm http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/starting/archive/2007/st0221.htm http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20040116b1.asp https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/helpfaq http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/forms/credit-report-error-fix.asp http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/bankruptcy/20070313_credit_report_stains_a1.asp http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/forms/credit-report-error-fix.txt http://bankrate.com/ http://www.occ.treas.gov/customer.htm TO ORDER A FREE CREDIT REPORT (all three are free once a year) Equifax P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374 www.equifax.com 1-800-685-1111 _______________ Experian P.O. Box 19719 Irvine, CA 92623 www.experian.com 1-888-397-3742 _______________ TransUnion P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19022 www.transunion.com 1-800-916-8800 FIND YOUR REPS http://www.usa.gov/ http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/State_and_Territories.shtml http://www.nga.org http://www.naag.org/attorneys_general.php http://judiciary.senate.gov/