Identity Theft Protection
July 18, 2017
Identity theft can be a particular hazard for military personnel, especially for those who are deployed or moving frequently. To protect against identity theft, military personnel should consider placing an active-duty alert on their credit reports. Active-duty alerts require creditors to verify a service member’s identity before issuing credit in the person’s name. The alerts are effective for one year, unless the service member requests earlier removal, and if duty lasts longer than one year, another alert may be placed on the credit report. To place an active-duty alert, or to have one removed, call the toll-free fraud number of one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies:
If you discover that your identity has been used fraudulently, contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at 800-282-0515. Specialists in the office’s Identity Theft Unit work with credit reporting agencies, creditors, collectors, and other organizations to help correct the effects of identity theft, such as clearing fraudulent debt from a victim’s name.