If you suspect that your personal information has been misused to commit fraud or theft, act immediately, and keep a detailed record of your conversations and correspondence. Your first three steps should be:

FIRST, contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus:

• Equifax: www.equifax.com
  To order your report, call: 1-800-685-1111
  or write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
  To report fraud, call: 1-800-525-6285
  and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
• Experian: www.experian.com
  To order your report, call: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
  or write: P.O. Box 2104, Allen TX 75013
  To report fraud, call: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
  and write: P.O. Box 9532, Allen TX 75013
• TransUnion: www.transunion.com
  To order your report, call: 800-916-8800
  or write: P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022.
  To report fraud, call: 1-800-680-7289
  and write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

SECOND, close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.

THIRD, file a police report with your local police or the police in the community where the theft took place.

If you become a victim of identity theft involving federal education funds or suspect that your student information have been stolen, contact:

• U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General Hotline: e-mail oig.hotline@ed.gov, 1-800-MISUSED (1-800-647-8733)

• Federal Trade Commission, 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338)
• Social Security Administration, 1-800-269-0271
• National White Collar Crime Center, http://www.nw3c.org

Our society generates an enormous amount of data. Most users of that information are honest, legitimate businesses. But no one, including students, is immune from being a potential victim of identity theft. The financial and emotional consequences of this crime are long term and long lasting. The information provided in this document gives you a number of steps for safeguarding your personal data, and there are many other resources available on the Internet.

Following are a series of forms that will be useful if, despite your efforts, you become a victim of identity theft.

• Chart your course of action
• ID theft affidavit
• Fraudulent account statement