If you are receiving unsolicited phone calls from an entity pretending to be ACCC (a trusted non-profit credit counseling agency), please be assured that ACCC’s policy is NEVER to contact you unless you’ve explicitly requested us to call you. Also be cautious of emails from an unusual or unfamiliar domain. ACCC’s domain extension is @consumercredit.com, and any emails using a different extension should be treated with suspicion.

×

ACCC’s Client Login allows current clients to access their program information, including the due date, program benefits, and other documents.

Select a Client Login below based on the service that you are currently enrolled in:

Debt Management Program

Client Login

Not yet a client, but looking to get started?

ACCC offers debt relief options to individuals and families that are suffering from stress related to credit card debt by providing effective credit counseling, helping to consolidate debt, and advising on debt management.

Get Started

Wait!

You are now leaving the Consumer Credit website and are going to a website that is not operated by ACCC. We are not responsible for the content or availability of linked sites.

Are you sure you want to leave?

No, return me to the previous page.

Yes

How to Recover from Identity Theft

Every year, millions of consumers have their identity stolen. ID theft can result in serious damage to your finances, like incurring credit card debt in your name, and more. It is more important than ever that consumers know the necessary steps to take should they fall victim to identity theft. We want to provide you with a helpful guide on how to recover from identity theft.

If you're a victim, take ACCC's steps to recover from identity theft.

If you’re a victim, take ACCC’s steps to recover from identity theft.

What Do Identity Thieves Look For?

  • Name
  • Address
  • Social Security Number
  • Date of Birth
  • Bank Account Numbers
  • Credit Card Numbers
  • PIN Numbers
  • Signature
  • Health Insurance Number
  • Any Answers to Security Questions such as mother’s maiden name, first pet’s name, etc.

According to the Federal Trade Commission here are the most common ways that thieves use stolen information.

  • Government Benefits Fraud – 39%
  • Other Fraud – 22%
  • Credit Card Fraud – 17%
  • Phone/ Utility Fraud – 12%
  • Bank Fraud – 8%
  • Employment Fraud – 5%
  • Loan Fraud – 4%

How to Recover From Identity Theft

If you fall victim to identity theft, it is important that you are aware of the necessary steps it takes to recover and re-secure your finances. Here’s what to do to recover from identity theft.

  1. Contact credit reporting agencies – Be sure to contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion and ask to place an identity theft or fraud alert on all reports.
  2. Contact banks and creditors – Consumers are able to report stolen/missing credit cards and any fraudulent activity on statements. Accounts that have been tampered with can be closed or frozen.
  3. Contact the Federal Trade Commission – By filing a complaint with the FTC, consumers will receive a document verifying that they are a victim. Make sure you fill out the Identity Theft Affidavit.
  4. Contact the local police department – File a report with the local police. A consumer’s identity is similar to any other stolen property. Document and report the theft to begin the investigation. Get a copy of the report as evidence for re-securing identity and removing fraudulent charges.

Identity theft can affect your credit and your finances. Therefore, we urge you to take the first step in protecting yourself against identity theft.

If you’re struggling to pay off debt, ACCC can help. Schedule a free credit counseling session with us today.

ABOUT AUTHOR / Dilini

Dilini is a Marketing Communications & Programs Associate at ACCC. To anyone, managing finances can be a real challenge! Any tips and tricks to help get through this are great! Dilini will share her experiences, tips, and tricks along the way through the Talking Cents blog. Stay tuned!

View all author posts →

creditU

Your Ultimate Money Management App

Meet CreditU, the ultimate one-stop debt and financial management app! See your full financial overview, including debts, income, expenses, and savings.

CreditU Apple App Store
Dev Tool:

Request: blog/how-to-recover-from-identity-theft
Matched Rewrite Rule: blog/([^/]+)/?$
Matched Rewrite Query: post_type=post&name=how-to-recover-from-identity-theft
Loaded Template: single.php