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The Law

Federal Law: 18 USC 1028
Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act: 18 USC 1028

State Law: Michigan's Identity Theft Protection Act: MCL 445.61
Act 452 of 2004

What is Identity Theft and How Can I Protect Myself?

United States Department of Justice provides information about what constitutes identity theft, the most common techniques of stealing identities, and what individual's can do to protect themselves.

Federal Trade Commission offers an all-encompassing resource designed to help individuals deter, detect, and defend against identity theft.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation provides a multimedia presentation designed to show consumers how to protect their identities from internet thieves.

Identity Theft Resource Center is a national non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on identity theft and determining ways to combat it.

Who to Contact if Your Identity Has Been Stolen

Credit Reporting Agencies' Fraud Websites

• Equifax
• Experian
  Credit Fraud Protection: Add a Fraud Alert Message to your Credit Report
• Trans Union

The Federal Trade Commission is responsible for receiving and processing complaints from people who believe they may be victims of identity theft, providing informational materials to those people, and referring those complaints to appropriate entities, including the major credit reporting agencies and law enforcement agencies.

Social Security Administration provides a form that an individual should fill out if they have been the victim of identity theft.
Identity Theft And Your Social Security Number
SSA Publication No. 05-10064, ICN 463270, October 2012

Contact the U.S. Post Office if you think that the fraud was due to mail theft.

United States Secret Service—if the crime happened online, the Secret Service is in charge of the Electronic Crimes Task Force.
Criminal Investigations

Other Helpful Sites

Michigan Attorney General's Consumer Protection
Security Breaches: What To Do Next: Consumer Alert

National Office for Victims of Crime provides a wealth of information and helpful links to governmental, organizational, and private websites that aid victims of identity theft.

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is a non-profit advocacy group that educates and helps victims of identity theft.

Insurance Information Institute offers information on identity theft insurance and carriers that offer it.

Direct Marketing Association allows individuals to limit junk mail, including credit card offers.

Federal Communications Commission allows individuals to limit commercial telemarketers from calling phone numbers, including wireless.

Annual Credit Report is a website that allows individuals to access their credit report easily.

US Department of Justice – Office of Justice Programs
OJP Fact Sheet – Identity Theft

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