If you find that you're a victim of ID theft, the FTC urges you to:

1. Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus and report the theft. Ask that a "fraud alert" be placed on your file and that no new credit be granted without your approval.

• Equifax: 1.800.525.6285
• Experian: 1.888.397.3742
• Trans Union: 1.800.680.7289

1. For any accounts that have been fraudulently accessed or opened, contact the security department of the appropriate creditor or financial institution. Close these accounts. Put passwords (not your mother's maiden name or Social Security number) on any new accounts you open.
2. File a report with local police or the police where the identity theft took place. Get the report number or a copy of the report in case the bank, credit card company or others need proof of the crime later.
3. Call the ID Theft Clearinghouse toll-free at 1.877.ID.THEFT (1.877.438.4338) to report the theft. Counselors will take your complaint and advise you on how to deal with the credit-related problems that could result from ID theft. The Identity Theft Hotline and the ID Theft Website (www.ftc.gov/idtheft) give you one place to report the theft to the federal government and receive helpful information.

By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC, you will provide important information that can help law enforcement officials track down identity thieves and stop them.

Additionally, a newly updated identity theft booklet, ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name is now available in Spanish. Two new consumer assistance publications released by the FTC are Privacy: Tips for Protecting Your Personal Information and Privacy: What You Do Know Can Protect You. All FTC publications are available at www.ftc.gov.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP, or use the complaint form at www.ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

Now the real world. You may find that local law enforcement many times has a "who cares?" attitude about ID Theft. They have much to do, and it is s tough crime to investigate, so white collar crimes like this go relatively un-investigated. However, it is important that you file with your local police department for one reason.

YOU CAN BE SUBJECT TO ARREST IF THE PERSON WHO STOLE YOUR IDENTITY COMMITS CRIMES, OR EVEN GETS TRAFFIC TICKETS IN YOUR NAME. WE ACTUALLY KNOW A PERSON WHO, WHILE NEVER HAVING BEEN IN NEW YORK, WAS CHARGED WITH TRAFFIC CRIMES IN NEW YORK. HE WAS ARRESTED IN TEXAS FOR THE MISSED COURT APPEARANCES IN NEW YORK FOR THE TICKETS HE NEVER GOT. THAT IS REAL ID THEFT.

So, file a report, and keep a copy of the report with you for a while. Check occasionally that you do not have a warrant for your arrest. In many states you can do this online Check with the state occasionally to see what your "point" standing is on your drivers license, this can be a good clue if there is someone using your name as an ID.

There are other concerns, Doctors, Hospitals, Pharmacies. You don't want a crack house bust 1500 miles away to turn up a bottle of narcotics with your name on them, and then you get stopped for running a stop sign while going to Grandma's house for Holiday Dinner. You could be late. Keep that copy of that police report handy!

Lots of things to look at, but if you keep track of it all, you can stay on top of the mess, and prevent some real nasty surprises.