ID THEFT NEWS – WEEKLY UPDATE
Fair Credit Reporting Act Lawyers Help Identity Theft Victims
Over 12 million people an identity theft victim every year. Identity theft changes lives forever! ID theft victims may not even know their identity has been stolen until they receive debt collection calls for debts that do not belong to them. Others will learn they are victims when they are denied credit for no apparent reason.
What can you do to protect your identity? Under federal law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), identity theft victims have rights. ID theft victims have the right to request two (2) free credit reports every 12 months. Also, fraud victims can add a fraud alert (90 day and extended 7 year) to their credit files with Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. Victims can also add a credit freeze to their file. A “freeze” prevents potential creditors from obtaining your credit report, so identity thieves have a harder time opening new credit accounts.
The FCRA also gives identity theft victims the right to dispute credit report errors. When a credit reporting agency receives a consumer dispute, the credit bureau must perform a reasonable “reinvestigation” and notify the furnisher of the disputed information of the consumer dispute. The furnisher of the information (such as a creditor) then has to perform a reasonable investigation of the consumer dispute. The furnisher does not have any civil liability until the credit bureaus notify the furnisher of the dispute. In other words, identity theft victims should always dispute the fraudulent information to Equifax, Experian and Trans Union, in order for any of the companies to have civil liability under the FCRA.
When an identity theft victims sends the credit bureaus an identity theft report (such as a police report), the credit bureaus must block the fraudulent information. The fraudulent information must be locked within 4 business days.
Download your ID Theft Report.
If the credit reporting agencies break the law, then consumers have the right to sue them in federal court. Victims may be entitled to actual, statutory damages and punitive damages, plus attorney’s fees and costs. Micah Adkins represents victims of identity theft in federal court all over the country. Our firm includes lawyers licensed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New York, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. We maintain offices in Alabama, Georgia and Texas. We can meet with you in person or by phone for a free consultation.
Here are some of the identity theft stories we are following:
FLORIDA
Ocala, FL – Woman sought in ID theft case – In late March, a woman reported a case of identity theft to the Ocala Police Department. She had purchased appliances from the Lowe’s at 4600 E.
Tampa, FL – Credit card fraud ring targeted International Mall Tampa Bay Business Journal – A Tampa federal jury convicted Viviana Reyes of multiple charges related to a credit card fraud and identity theft ring that focused on credit card terminals at …
GEORGIA
Atlanta, GA – Emory students were ID-theft targets, feds say; DeKalb pair charged Atlanta Journal Constitution – “The alleged actions of these two defendants demonstrates how every member of our community is vulnerable to identity theft and computer intrusions,” U.S. …
Atlanta, GA – California couple guilty of cross-country identity theft, credit card fraud Atlanta Journal Constitution – The second of a two-person counterfeiting team, charged with identity theft and credit card fraud from Florida to California, pleaded guilty Wednesday in an …
Macon, GA – Macon woman sentenced in identity theft scheme 13WMAZ – A Macon woman was sentenced in federal court for her role in an identity theft … fraudulent claims, identity theft, and receiving stolen government property.
Savanna, GA – Five people plead guilty to tax fraud, identity theft Savannah Morning News – Five defendants – Aleceia Lovett, Cierra Johnson, Kandice White, Danielle Clark and Srbrina Bangs – pled guilty last week before U.S. District Court Judge B.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Myrtle Beach, SC – ID theft victims should take this step to safeguard tax returns WBTW – Myrtle Beach and Florence SC – If you think your private information may have been compromised, there’s an important step you need to take now to make sure you get your tax refund next year.
TENNESSEE
Nashville, TN – Man charged with identity theft trafficking MiamiHerald.com – A former state employee is facing a charge of identity theft trafficking. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says it arrested 24-year-old Steven …
TEXAS
Houston, TX – Stolen laptop means more than just ID theft for some Methodist … KHOU – More than 1,000 patients waiting for organ transplants are on edge after a laptop belonging to Methodist Hospital was stolen late last week.
NATIONAL NEWS
Target Data Breach – BBB Advises Consumers To Monitor Their Credit In Wake Of Target … STLtoday.com – Dispute inaccuracies on your credit report. Inaccurate, derogatory information can lower your credit score and may indicate possible fraudulent activity.
Report Highlights IRS’s Struggles With Identity Theft Wall Street Journal (blog) – The IRS says it prevented the payment of more than 1.8 million identity theft-based refund claims totaling over $12.1 billion in calendar 2012, and more than 1.4 …
Would You Rather Have Your Car Stolen or Your Identity? Huffington Post – Regardless of your preference on that question, be advised that 12.6 million Americans were victims of identity theft last year; during the same time, fewer than 1 …
Do these stories sound familiar to you? Are you an identity theft victim? Do you have credit report errors? Have you disputed the credit report errors to Equifax, Experian or Trans Union? Have the credit bureaus “verified” information on your credit report that does not belong to you and refused to delete the information?
Contact us 24/7 for a free case review at 1-800-263-9091.
The call is free, and so is the consultation.
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