Dating Sites & Scams

If you are one who visits social networking sites or dating sites in search of true love, you need to be aware of the fact that there are predators and scammers who will lie cheat and steal, just to get their hooks in you.

I STRONGLY urge you to shoot over to www.romancescams.org/ and learn what to watch out for!

If anyone falls victim to Identity Theft from any source, the below information will help.

Identity Theft

Victims: Immediate Steps to Take

When you have been scammed you are at risk for identity theft, we suggest that you do the following steps to help protect yourself and your credit:

• Save detail records of your conversations and copies of all correspondence
  
• Place a fraud alerts on your credit reports, and review your credit reports
  
• You only need to contact one of the three companies to place an alert
  
• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com;
  P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
  
• Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
  
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
  
• Ask for a free copy of your credit report and go over the report, look for inquiries from companies you haven’t contacted, accounts you haven’t opened or debts. If you find any thing that is not supposed to be there get it removed. Continue to check your credit reports for at least a year after being scammed.
  
• To place an alert on your credit report, or to have them removed, you will be required to provide appropriate proof of your identity: that may include your Social Security number, name, address and other personal information.
  
• You will also need to make a police report if your identity has been stolen, keep a copy of the police report for your records.
  
• If you gave your scammer your banking information, and/ or credit card information you will need to close your accounts:
  
• Call or go to the security or fraud department of each company or your bank. Bring with you copies of supporting documents (emails, instant messages, items received in the mail…anything you have to prove you’re a victim).
  
• If there has been activity on your accounts ask the company for the forms to dispute the transactions. When the dispute is cleared ask for a letter stating this fact.
  

Reporting Agencies and Links:

• Financial Crimes Task Force http://financialcrimestaskforce.com/action.html
  
• AnnualCreditReport.com https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
  
• Attorney (State) General Contact List Idtheftpolice.php"> http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/Idtheftpolice.php
  
• Better Business Bureau http://www.bbb.org/
  
• Federal Trade Commission http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/06/freeannual.htm
  
• Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft- Complaint Input Form https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/widtpubl$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU03
  
• Identity Theft Government Agency Resources Who to Contact http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/Idtheftresources.php
  
• Identity Theft Resource Center http://www.idtheftcenter.org/index.shtml
  
• Identity Theft Fact Sheets http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/Idtheftfactsheets.php