If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, we urge you to take the following steps as soon as possible:

• File a fraud alert with one of the three national credit bureaus.
• File an identity theft report with your local law enforcement agency.
• Close accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
  • It is imperative that you contact the company involved to dispute the fraudulent transactions or accounts.
  • Follow up with the company in writing. Sending correspondence by certified mail is recommended.
  • Ask the company whether a fraud affidavit is required. If it is, the company may send you its affidavit, or you can get one from the Federal Trade Commission‘s identity theft booklet, which is also available from the Attorney General’s office.
• File an identity theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission or call (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338).
• Consider placing a security freeze on your credit report.
• Consider requesting an identity theft passport provided by the Attorney General’s office.

Identity Theft Passport

In 2005, the Arkansas Legislature approved Act 744, which gives the Attorney General authority to issue an identity theft passport to an Arkansas resident who learns or reasonably suspects that he or she is a victim of financial identity fraud and who has filed a police report.

The identity theft passport is a card, similar in appearance to a driver’s license, is designed to assist financial identity fraud victims in re-establishing their good names. This passport may also help prevent a victim’s arrest for other criminal offenses committed by the identity thief.