There is hope for the millions of victims of identity theft and fraud. The National Association of Consumer Advocates is a nationwide organization that specializes in consumer protection. Its resources include more than 1,000 attorneys who specialize in consumer advocacy and litigation.
NACA attorneys have represented hundreds of thousands of consumers victimized by identity theft and fraud, as well as subsequent abusive and predatory business practices.
Victims can find restoring their identities to be a difficult and time-consuming process. For some, it may take years to erase the damage caused by identity theft. It is not uncommon for victims to spend thousands of hours using the telephone and written correspondence to unravel this crime.
Sometimes, third-party debt collection agencies and debt collection attorney firms add to the victims? suffering by telephoning all hours of the day and night.
So, it is important for victims to know that when the traditional efforts fail to resolve their problems with identity theft or fraud, other resources are available to them, such as attorneys who specialize in consumer protection. They help thousands of victims restore their good names, stop the predatory practices of the debt collection agencies and help victims get their lives back.
Contact from a credit agency is regulated by federal law, but these laws are ignored by the some debt collection agencies and credit card companies, which causes additional harm and stress for the victims.
Identity theft victims frequently encounter civil suits filed against them by debt collection agencies and attorney collection firms for funds that the victims do not owe. Some victims feel they have no other choice but to pay to re-establish their good names and their credit. Others file bankruptcy.
NACA attorney Bryan C. Becker of San Diego said his clients commonly are some of the most vulnerable members of society. Seniors and legalized immigrants are often targeted, among others who do not speak English fluently. The stress and mental anguish caused by this criminal epidemic can have lasting negative effects on some victims, he said.
A Senate analysis from Sept. 12, 2001, seems to concur. It states, ?It can take identity theft victims several years to clear their credit records, during which time many victims have trouble establishing new credit, renting apartments and getting jobs because many applications require a credit check as part of the approval process.?
Although there are federal laws, such as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act, some debt collection agencies use tactics that totally disregard the laws until a civil suit is brought against them by a victim?s attorney. Far too many Americans are harassed by the debt collection firms until they give in.
Attorney Becker said the majority of the identity theft cases he has litigated take a minimum of one year to conclude. However, many cases take much longer to resolve.
The identity theft epidemic is not going to diminish until there are new privacy laws and better safeguards for consumer records.
Here are a couple of the safeguards that many professionals believe should be put in place:
? Every business or entity that furnishes data should be required to send free notification to the consumer when releasing a consumer?s private records to any third party. This would provide consumers with a fighting chance to protect themselves if they discover a criminal breach of their privacy.
? The data-furnishing companies and agents should keep on file for 10 years any records that include the consumers? names and information released and accessed by a third party.
Far too often, law enforcement agencies struggle to battle identity theft crimes ? only to find no evidence left. Many times, when law enforcement agencies issue search warrants and subpoenas for evidentiary purposes, the information required to prosecute these cases is no longer on file or available. Without the evidence, there is no case.
It is important that the public seeks better safeguards and privacy protection in the Legislature. It also is important for consumers to continue to diligently safeguard their private records and information.
If you have been victimized by identity theft, take the following actions as soon as possible:
? File a police report immediately.
? Contact all known creditors.
? Contact the three national credit bureau agencies and your bank.
? Keep copies of any records related to the crime.
? Document any telephone calls and correspondence related to the identity theft or fraud.
Early communication of the crime and careful documentation will assist law enforcement and help legal counsel defend potential claims posed by debt collection agencies and debt collection attorney firms.
If you are a victim of identity theft you are not alone. Visit Survivors In Action
?No Victim Left Behind?
april 16 tornadoes mitch hedberg secret service scandal shea weber greystone sidney crosby
No comments:
Post a Comment