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! Victims may not even know their identity has been stolen until they receive phone calls from debt collectors for debts they do not owe. Others may discover they are an identity theft victim when they are denied credit or cannot get a job because of false background check information.
What can you do to protect your identity and credit report? The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) provides identity theft victims with rights under federal law. For example, identity 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. Consumers also have the right to dispute credit report errors.
Liability is triggered under the FCRA when the credit bureaus receive a dispute from a consumer. The furnisher of the information (i.e., creditor) does not have any civil liability until the credit bureaus notify the furnisher of the dispute. In other words, in order to be able to sue the credit bureaus, debt collectors or creditors, consumers should always send their dispute to Equifax, Experian and Trans Union.
Once the credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and Trans Union) receive a consumer dispute, they must conduct a reasonable “re-investigation.” The credit reporting agencies must block fraudulent information in 4 business days if they receive an identity theft report.
Download your free identity theft report HERE.
If the credit reporting agencies break the law, then consumers have the right to sue them in federal court. You may be entitled to actual and statutory damages, plus attorney’s fees. 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 and Georgia and 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:
ALABAMA
Auburn, AL – Auburn man charged with identity theft and forgery Auburn Citizen
The Auburn Police Department charged an Auburn man on multiple charges including forgery and identity theft, according to a press release. At 1:27 a.m. on Tuesday, police said officers responded to the area of Swift Street and Burt Avenue on a report …
Dothan, AL – Bay County Sheriff’s Office Reports Phone Scam WTVY, Dothan
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office has received numerous calls today in reference to the latest twist on identity theft scams in Bay County. Complaints today have been in reference to phone calls placed to victims by an individual claiming to be a Bay …
FLORIDA
Gainesville, FL – Teachers affected by data breach urged to protect information Gainesville Sun
To protect yourself from possible identity theft, call any major credit reporting agency and place a free fraud alert on your credit files. Experian: 1-888-397-3742. Equifax: 1-888-766-0008 TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289. The information was publicly …
Naples, FL – Keep Your Identity: Medical identity theft can threaten more than just good name Naples Daily News
All types of identity theft can be devastating, but the worst is medical identity theft. That is because medical identity theft can cost you your time, money and reputation just like the other types of identity theft. Much worse, it can also cost you …
SOUTH CAROLINA
Columbia, SC – Stolen Laptop may Have Compromised Students Persona Information
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – It’s a breech in security at the University of South Carolina. A spokesperson says a computer stolen from the physics and astronomy department at the end of April may have compromised the personal information of more than 6,000 students. We’re talking names, e-mail addresses and social security numbers. The affected students were enrolled in one of four classes, dating back to January 2010. That’s when the laptop was first in use. There’s an ongoing investigation into the incident.
TENNESSEE
Knoxville, TN – Jimmy Rodefer : Don ‘ t become a victim of tax identity theft Knoxville News Sentinel
“Florida Man Sentenced in $12 Million Identity Theft Tax Refund Fraud Scheme: On June 5, 2013, in Miami, Fla., Jesus Calvo was sentenced to 58 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $9.2 million in restitution to the IRS …
TEXAS
Houston, TX – Houston man sent to prison for Puerto Rican identity theft Houston Chronicle A 33-year-old Houston man was sent to federal prison for five years after he was convicted for his role in an identity-theft scheme targeting Puerto Ricans. Luigi Montes was sentenced to 60 months in prison Friday after he had pleaded guilty about a …
Lubbock, TX – Identity Theft: Local Victim Shares Experience EverythingLubbock.com
One local man was recently the victim of identity theft. He tells KAMC his identity was stolen by an illegal immigrant, and as a result, his disability checks stopped coming in. Richard Adair has a mental illness that has kept him from work for quite …
NATIONAL NEWS
Victim: ID theft ‘can haunt you for many years’ Monitor Now residents can go online to report identity theft and other crimes on the city’s website, www.myharlingen.us. Illegal immigration helps drive the incidence of identity theft in Harlingen and other areas that have become crossroads for undocumented …
Revised Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guide on ‘Red Flags’ Identity Theft … The National Law Review UPDATE: The Federal Trade Commission recently issued a revised guide on the Red Flags Identity Theft Rule, designed to help businesses comply with the requirements of the Rule. Our detailed Client Alert on the Final Red Flags Rule and compliance …
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.
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