Placing a fraud alert on your credit report is a good first step after finding your personal information has been hacked, the Wisconsin Office of Privacy Protection said.
There are three major credit reporting companies:
Equifax, P.O. Box 740250, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241, 888-766-0008
Experian, P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013, 888-397-3742
TransUnion, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790, 800-680-7289
The credit reporting agency will request your Social Security number, and then will place an alert on your credit report. That will tell creditors if someone other than you tries to open an account in your name.
“You may not be notified, but creditors may deny credit as a result,” the agency said.
A consumer can renew the credit alert every 90 days or for seven years, and can remove the alert by writing the credit reporting agency. Consumers can get a free credit report each year by calling 877-322-8228 or online at www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp.
The state agency said if you are a victim of identity theft to contact your local police department and file a report.
And if you think your identity has been stolen, call the Wisconsin Office of Privacy Protection at 800-422-7128, or email the agency at: DATCPWisconsinPrivacy@Wisconsin.gov.
More information is available at the website www.privacy.wi.gov