If you’re one of the almost ten million people who fall victim to identity theft one of the keys in getting the situation resolved satisfactorily is to report it immediately. The problem here is that you may not be aware of the theft until you apply for credit and are turned down, yet you know you’ve always paid your bills timely. Or, a gruff bill collector informs you he’s about to repossess your car unless you pay up today. You try to explain that you’ve not bought a new car.

Expect to be a victim of identity theft and stay one step ahead of the process by planning.

When you report that you’re a victim, a lot of detailed information will be required. Make copies of all credit cards and social security cards. Keep a list of the numbers to call in case of theft and keep at least two copies in different locations. If your wallet is stolen, this is not a good place to keep the list.

Different types of identity thefts require notification to different authorities. You can start with your local police department but many times they will only take the information by phone or not at all.

Be persistent because some companies require a copy of the police report to initiate action. Also be specific and notify the proper company that pertains to your theft such as check theft, credit card, social security, phone service, drivers license or passport theft.

If your credit card has been stolen, call the respective card company. Other agencies you may want to call include the Federal Trade Commission, Social Security Administration and the office of the Attorney General. It’s good to notify these agencies in an effort to establish if any pattern of theft is occurring.

Have all your information at the ready when reporting a theft. Keep complete records of your phone calls including time, date, who you spoke to and what was promised or determined. A theft report requires a lot of detail and the more you have when you make the call the faster the matter will be resolved.

Notify the fraud department of the three credit reporting companies. These are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Usually call one of these companies and they will notify the other two for you. Note that some of these companies will take advantage of the opportunity to sell you credit management tools.

You can place a fraud alert for 90 days. During this time keep a close check on your credit reports and report any suspicious activity. You can request copies of your credit reports free and also a 7-year extension to the fraud alert.

Reporting an identity theft can be a long and involved process. Records show that victims can spend up to 40 hours getting the situation resolved in a satisfactory manner and the target age is between 35 and 44. A sad statistic is that almost half of identify thefts are perpetrated by someone you know, either a friend or family member. Because of this, many of the criminals go unpunished.

Most agencies are cooperative but if you do not receive satisfaction don’t hesitate to contact an attorney. Identity theft happens every day and we’re all potential victims.

The best deterrent is prevention.