How to place: Contact any one of the three credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You don’t have to contact all three. The credit bureau you contact must tell the other two to place an extended fraud alert on your credit report.

What are the most common ways of identity theft?

Learn 11 of the most common ways of identity theft can happen.

1. Phishing. Scammers often use phishing emails to trick victims into providing personal or financial information.
2. Smishing.
3. Vishing.
4. Fake Websites.
5. Impersonation Scams or Confidence Fraud.
6. Data Breaches.
7. Skimming.
8. Public Wi-Fi and USB Charging Stations.

What should I do if I find out I am a victim of identity theft?

Keep a copy of the report; you will need it in some of the following steps to prove you are a victim. Notify the credit bureaus and place fraud alerts on your credit reports; this requires creditors to call you and get your approval before granting any new credit.

How to report possible identity theft to the credit bureaus?

Call Equifax at 800-525-6285, Experian at 888-397-3742 and TransUnion at 800-680-7289. You can also visit the credit bureaus’ websites, which have pages for reporting identity theft and requesting different levels of fraud alerts. Request the credit bureaus assign an initial fraud alert to your credit reports. There is no charge for this alert.

What’s the best way to avoid identity theft?

According to the video, all of the following are some additional options to avoid identity theft, except: Use as few online sources as possible.

How long does it take for an identity theft alert to go out?

If you contact one agency, it’s supposed to contact the other two for you, but it doesn’t hurt to contact all three agencies yourself. An initial fraud alert lasts 90 days and, during that time, can make it harder for an identity thief to open accounts in your name.