It’s important to protect your personal information, and to take certain steps quickly to minimize the potential damage from identity theft if your information is accidentally disclosed or deliberately stolen:

-Place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports, and review those reports carefully. Notifying one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies is sufficient.

-Close any accounts that have been tampered with or established fraudulently.

-File a police report with local law enforcement officials. This is an essential step in claiming your rights.

-Report your theft to the Federal Trade Commission, online, by phone, or by mail.

-And before identity theft happens, learn how to safeguard your information at ftc.gov/idtheft.

Source: www.onguardonline.gov