The state attorney general's office, Consumer Credit Counseling Service and Better Business Bureau are working together next week to raise awareness about the dangers of identity theft.

The Better Business Bureau and Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Buffalo are hoping to stem the rise in identity crime with a free identity theft prevention event.

Imperva and the Ponemon Institute yesterday announced the findings of a survey across more than 500 U.S. and multinational IT security practitioners showing that, despite the Payment Card Industry’s (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS), companies still struggle with data security, putting consumers at continued risk for identity theft.

So, you’ve just realized that someone has stolen your identity and is racking up debt left and right, and you want to put a stop to it, but you don’t know what to do. Well, keep

reading, because in this article you will learn exactly what to do when you are a victim of identity theft. Once you have absorbed this information, act quickly, because the sooner you start fighting for your identity, the sooner you will win.

The Dreaded Phone Call From A Creditor

You will probably receive a phone call from a creditor stating “you” just either made a large purchase and they suspect fraud or you open your credit card bill as you do every month and be amazed at some extra charges that are on there. Call your credit card company immediately. Rarely, will you be liable for charges over $50, and many credit card companies wave the first $50 in the case of fraud. Check with your bank, you will usually be given a choice to close your account and reopen a new one or some banks will put a “watch” on your account and you will have to log into your account and manually approve every charge and check before it is cleared.

This usually goes on for a period of 30-60 days. The latter isn’t the best choice as it is labor intensive to do and your account isn’t protected from fraud as it would be if you simply closed it out and reopened a new account.

Continue reading Identity Theft – When It Happens To You