Step 5. Other Helpful Resources

US Postal Service
Contact your local office of the US Postal Inspection Service at http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov if you suspect that an identity thief has submitted a change-of-address form with the Post Office to redirect your mail, or has used the mail to commit frauds involving your identity.

Social Security Administration
Contact the Social Security Administration at www.ssa.gov (SSA Fraud Hotline: 800-269-0271) with any allegations that involve the following:

  • Buying and selling of counterfeit or legitimate SSN cards.
  • Misuse involving people with links to terrorist groups or activities.
  • Misuse of an SSN by someone else to obtain Social Security benefits.

Internal Revenue Service
Information about the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can be located at www.irs.treas.gov
If your tax records are not currently affected by identity theft, but you believe you may be at risk due to a lost/stolen purse or wallet, questionable credit card activity or credit report, etc., contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490.

If you suspect the improper use of identification information in connection with tax violations contact the IRS Tax Fraud Referral Hotline at 1-800-829-0433.

If you receive a notice from IRS, respond immediately. If you believe someone may have used your SSN fraudulently, please notify IRS immediately by responding to the name and number printed on the notice or letter. You will need to fill out the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit, Form 14039.

US Department of Justice (DOJ)
Contact the DOJ at http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html.

The following links provide detailed information related to identity theft and protecting yourself.

  • National Do Not Call Registry:
    By placing your number in the National Do Not Call Registry an individual will not receive unsolicited telemarketing phone calls except in certain cases. By limiting your contact with telemarketers you have less of a chance of your personal information being sold to a larger data warehouse. To place your number on the National Do Not Call Registry fill out the form located at https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx.
  • Prescreened Credit Card and Insurance Offers:
    By opting out of pre-screened credit card and insurance offers an individual will no longer receive these offers through the mail. Your personal information is obtained by these companies through the three major credit reporting agencies. The receipt of these offers through the mail may lead to identity theft if someone were to steal your mail and respond to the offer. Also, many times these offers contain a significant amount of personal information that you would not want in the public domain.
    You can “opt-out” of these offers by filling out the form located at https://www.optoutprescreen.com or by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688).
  • Direct Marketing Association Opt Out Service:
    The Direct Marketing Association is the largest trade association of marketers in the United States. They provide marketing services for companies through both standard mail and email. By limiting your contact with these companies you reduce the risk of your personal data being sold to third party data brokers. An individual can “opt-out” of these services by filling out the forms at http://www.dmachoice.org. You will still receive marketing material from companies that you do business with.
    The Direct Marketing Association’s website is located at www.the-dma.org and they can be contacted by standard mail at Direct Marketing Association, P. O. Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512.
  • Bank Financial Institutions Opt-Out:
    Banks and financial institutions typically provide your personal data to non-affiliated companies for the purpose of marketing and other services such as data brokers. The ability to “opt-out” of such services is dependent on the privacy terms of an individual’s bank or financial institution (including credit cards). Review your banks privacy policy and contact them to obtain more information on their particular “opt-out” procedure.
  • Additional Helpful Resources: