Important Identity Theft Information: Additional Steps You Can Take to Protect Your Identity

Regularly review statements from your accounts and periodically obtain your credit report from one or more of the national credit reporting companies.

You may obtain a free copy of your credit report online at www.annualcreditreport.com by calling toll free 1.877.322.8228, or by mailing an Annual Credit Report Request Form (available at www.annualcreditreport.com) to: Annual Credit Report Request Service. P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30348-5281. You may also purchase a copy of your credit report by contacting one or more of the three national credit reporting agencies listed below.

• Equifax, P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, Georgia 30374-0241. 1.800.685.1111. www.equifax.com
• Experian, P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013, 1.888.397.3742. www.experian.com
• TransUnion, 2 Baldwin Place, P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19016. 1.800.916.8800. www.transunion.com

You may wish to consider contacting the fraud department of the three major credit bureaus to request that a “fraud alert” be placed on your file. A fraud alert notifies potential lenders to verify your identification before extending credit in your name.

Regularly review statements from your accounts and periodically obtain your credit report from one or more of the national credit reporting companies. You may obtain a free copy of your credit report online at www.annualcreditreport.com by calling toll free 1.877.322.8228, or by mailing an Annual Credit Report Request Form (available at www.annualcreditreport.com) to: Annual Credit Report Request Service. P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30348-5281. You may also purchase a copy of your credit report by contacting one or more of the three national credit reporting agencies listed below.

• Equifax Security Freeze, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348
• Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013
• TransUnion Security Freeze, Fraud Victim Assistance Department, 2 Baldwin Place, P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19016

To request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following:

• Your full name (including middle initial, Jr., Sr., Roman numerals, etc.)
• Social Security number
• Date of birth
• Address(es) where you have lived over the prior five years
• Proof of current address such as a current utility bill
• A photocopy of a government-issued ID card
• If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft
• If you are not a victim of identity theft, include payment by check, money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover only). Don’t send cash through the mail.

The credit reporting agencies have three business days after receiving your request to place a security freeze on your credit report. The credit bureaus must also send written confirmation to you within five business days and provide you with a unique personal identification number (PIN) or password, or both that can be used by you to authorize the removal or lifting of the security freeze.

To lift the freeze to allow a specific entity or individual access to your credit report, you must call or send a written request to the credit reporting agencies by mail and include (1) proper identification (name, address, and Social Security number), (2) the PIN number or password provided to you when you placed the security freeze; and (3) the identities of those entities or individuals you would like to receive your credit report or the specific period of time you want the credit report available. The credit reporting agencies have three business days after receiving your request to lift the security freeze for those identified entities or for the specified period of time.

To remove the security freeze all together, you must send a written request to each of the three credit bureaus by mail and include proper identification (name, address, and Social Security number) and the PIN number or password provided to you when you placed the security freeze. The credit bureaus have three business days after receiving your request to remove the security freeze.

You have rights under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). These include, among others, the right to know what is in your file; to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information; and to have consumer reporting agencies correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information. For more information about the FCRA, please visit www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0096-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf or www.ftc.gov.

• File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of a crime.
• Contact the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC provides useful information to identity theft victims and maintains a database of identity theft cases for use by law enforcement agencies. File a report with the FTC by calling the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline: 1.877.IDTHEFT (1.877.438.4338); online at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft; or by mail at Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. Also request a copy of the publication, “Take Charge: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft” from http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft/idt04.pdf.
• Keep a record of your contacts. Start a file with copies of your credit reports, the police reports, any correspondence, and copies of disputed bills. It is also helpful to keep a log of your conversations with creditors, law enforcement officials, and other relevant parties.

Further information can be obtained from the FTC about steps to take to avoid identity theft through the following paths: http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft; calling 1.877.IDTHEFT (1.877.438.4338); or write to Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

Iowa residents may contact law enforcement or the Iowa Attorney General’s Office to report suspected incidents of identity theft. This office can be reached by visiting the website at www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov, calling (515) 281-5164 or requesting more information from the Office of the Attorney General, Hoover State Office Building, 1305 E. Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50319.

Maryland residents can learn more about preventing identity theft from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, by visiting their web site at http://www.oag.state.md.us/idtheft/index.htm, calling the Identity Theft Unit at 1.410.567.6491, or requesting more information at the Identity Theft Unit, 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202.

Massachusetts residents are reminded that you have the right to obtain a police report and request a security freeze as described above. The consumer reporting agencies may charge you a fee of up to $5 to place a security freeze on your account, and may require that you provide certain personal information (such as your name, Social Security Number, date of birth and address) and proper identification (such as a copy of a government-issued ID card and a bill or statement) prior to honoring your request. There is no charge, however, to place, lift or remove a security freeze if you have been a victim of identity theft and you provide the consumer reporting agencies with a valid police report.

New Mexico residents are reminded that you have the right to obtain a police report and request a security freeze as described above and you have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act as described above.

North Carolina residents can learn more about preventing identity theft from the North Carolina Office of the Attorney General, by visiting their web site at http://www.ncdoj.gov/Help-for-Victims/ID-Theft-Victims.aspx, calling 1.919.716.6400 or requesting more information from the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, 9001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-9001.

Oregon residents may obtain information about preventing identity theft from the Oregon Attorney General’s Office. This office can be reached by visiting the website at www.doj.state.or.us, calling (503) 378-4400 or requesting more information from the Oregon Department of Justice, 1162 Court Street NE, Salem, OR 97301-4096.

Rhode Island residents are reminded that you have the right to obtain a police report and request a security freeze as described above. The consumer reporting agencies may charge you a small fee to place a security freeze on your account, and may require that you provide certain personal information (such as your name, Social Security Number, date of birth and address) and proper identification (such as a copy of a government-issued ID card and a bill or statement) prior to honoring your request. There is no charge, however, to place, lift or remove a security freeze if you have been a victim of identity theft and you provide the consumer reporting agencies with a valid police report. Residents can learn more by contacting the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General by phone at 1.410.274.4400 or by mail at 150 South Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903.

Vermont residents may learn helpful information about fighting identity theft, placing a security freeze, and obtaining a free copy of your credit report on the Vermont Attorney General’s website at http://www.atg.state.vt.us.