Millions of Americans fall victim to identity theft every year. Having your identity stolen can result in poor credit, hours of paperwork, and so much more. At Members 1st Credit Union we prioritize our members' financial safety and security. 

How To Find Out If Your Identity Has Been Stolen 

Here are a few signs your identity is being used by a fraudster:

●      Accounts you didn’t authorize appear on your credit.

●      Lenders contact you.

●      Collection agencies contact you.

●      Your credit has taken a major hit for no discernible reason.

●      You receive bills from lenders and businesses for products you never purchased.

How to Freeze Your Credit

Submitting credit applications is one of the first things thieves do after stealing an identity. This includes opening credit cards and lines of credit, applying for loans, and more, all under your name.

That's why freezing your credit is the first step when recovering from identity theft. Contact the three major credit bureaus - Experian, Equifax, and Transunion to request a credit freeze. 

Equifax​

 https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/​
Phone: (888) 298-0045 or (888) 378-4329

By Mail:   https://assets.equifax.com/assets/personal/Security_Freeze_Request_Form.pdf​

Equifax Information Services LLC​

P.O. Box 105788​

Atlanta, GA 30348-5788​

Experian​

 https://www.experian.com/help/credit-freeze/​

Phone: (714) 830-7000 Select option 2 or (888) 397-3742​

By Mail: https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/acr-faqs/acr-security-freeze-basics/​

Experian Security Freeze​

P.O. Box 9554​

Allen, TX 75013​

TransUnion​

https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze​

Phone: 800-916-8800​

By Mail: https://www.transunion.com/blog/credit-advice/how-to-place-a-credit-freeze-on-your-credit-report​

TransUnion​

P.O. Box 160​

Woodlyn, PA 19094​

A credit freeze lets you add a password or pin to your credit report. With a freeze, lenders can only check your credit and/or approve applications if they know the password. Without the password, fraudsters won't be able to open accounts in your name - it's a great way to stop them in their tracks.

It's worth noting that the credit bureaus have up to 24 hours to freeze your credit once requested and no more than an hour to unfreeze once requested.