possible fraud dilemma help!!

[Anonymous]

Recently my external hard was stolen. There was a file on the drive that contains tax info from 2006. Is there any steps I should take just in case someone tries to use my social security number? I am currently registered for score watch and fico quarterly monitoring. Is there anything else I need to do?

Thanks

[p-]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Recently my external hard was stolen. There was a file on the drive that contains tax info from 2006. Is there any steps I should take just in case someone tries to use my social security number? I am currently registered for score watch and fico quarterly monitoring. Is there anything else I need to do?

Thanks

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Yup - you need to put in a credit freeze immediately.  If you filed a police report for the theft it will be free of charge, and locks your credit file so no new credit can be approved without an unlock process.

Also, you should change passwords on all your online accounts; email, facebook, banking, etc. as that info might be stored on there.  If the tax return contained account number and routing info from a direct deposit for that tax year, you might want to close that account and open a new one with a different number.  Bring the bank your police report also, and explain your concerns.

[RobertEG]

The FCRA provides steps short of a full CR "freeze."  You can place an initial fraud alert on your credit file, free of charge, simply by notifying the CRAs.  See FCRA 605A.

In the event that any appearance of actual fraud occurs, you can file a police report and update the initial fraud alert to an extended fraud alert, requiring anyone considering grant of credit to first contact you personally for approval.

And of course, a freeze on your credit report, which is regulated outside of the FCRA.

[Anonymous]

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@RobertEG wrote:

The FCRA provides steps short of a full CR "freeze."  You can place an initial fraud alert on your credit file, free of charge, simply by notifying the CRAs.  See FCRA 605A.

In the event that any appearance of actual fraud occurs, you can file a police report and update the initial fraud alert to an extended fraud alert, requiring anyone considering grant of credit to first contact you personally for approval.

And of course, a freeze on your credit report, which is regulated outside of the FCRA.

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My first thought was Freeze all three reports and file a police report, but if there is anyone here who knows what their talking about, it's RobertEG, so I would strongly recommend his advice as well.

I'm sorry to hear about the theft, I hope you get through this without any further problems.