As the number of data breaches into corporate networks increases, so does the crime of identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission reports that they received 4.8 million identity theft complaints in 2020. That only represents the number reported, the true number is likely much higher than that. Once your identity has been stolen, you can expect various credit accounts opened in your name.
We have even seen criminals finance cars using a stolen identity. If you have been the victim of identity theft, the time to act is now. The longer you wait, the more damage will occur. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires the credit bureaus to essentially freeze your credit report once you have reported an identity theft. One of the first steps is to go file a police report. The next step is to call an identity theft attorney who can guide you through the process of restoring your credit.
Once these criminals open credit accounts in your name, do you think they are going to pay the debts off? The answer is obviously no. The repercussions of that are that you will eventually be sued for not paying these debts and your credit will be destroyed.
The key is to be proactive and nip these problems in the bud before they balloon to something much greater. If you have been the victim of identity theft, we may be able to help you restore your credit and return to peace of mind. We will assist you in obtaining a copy of your credit report and disputing any inquiries and accounts that were established by the criminals.
Should the credit bureaus and the furnishers of the fake accounts not remove them 30 days after the dispute process has been initiated, you may be able to sue the credit bureaus and the furnishers under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
So, you may be thinking that you will just go online to each credit bureau’s website buy your report, and start the dispute process. This is a terrible idea! You need to look at the fine print. If you buy the report from Equifax, Experian, or Transunion, you may agree that you will not sue them in court for any violations.
There is always the “click here to accept the terms and conditions” box when you buy something. Have you ever read the terms of conditions? No one does, but you are entering into a legally binding contract if you check that box. That contract will likely contain a waiver of your right to sue them in court. Do not agree to anything with the credit bureaus without first obtaining competent legal advice.
You will be best served by speaking with an identity theft lawyer who knows how to properly guide you through the process to make sure that you preserve your rights. If you have been the victim of identity theft and are not sure what to do, there is no need to go at it alone.
Call Loan Lawyers today for your free consultation with an identity theft attorney who can advise you of your rights and help you through this process. Call us now at 1-888-FIGHT-13 for a free consultation with an identity theft attorney, you will be glad you did.
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I have been living in South Florida for the past 40 years. I knew since I was a teenager that I wanted to be an undefined lawyer. When I graduated from law school, I started my own firm in 1999 and haven’t looked back since. In my career, I have helped people with a myriad of legal problems, but nothing has been as satisfying as helping those struggling to save their homes or fighting a creditor. When I go home at the end of a long day and we saved someone’s house or successfully sued a debt collector, it gives me a great deal of satisfaction and happiness like no other area of law ever has.
