IDENTITY THEFT

Each year more than 15 million Americans have their personal information – including names, social security number, bank account or credit numbers stolen.  Often times, thieves use this information to open phony credit card, bank or utility accounts.  Identity theft can have a far reaching and disastrous impact on victims by destroying their personal credit, preventing them from purchasing a home or even getting a job.  Those who fall prey often face an uphill battle to restore their good name.

If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, you must take steps quickly to ensure that further damage is not done to your credit.  You will need to file a report with the Lower Windsor Township Police Department, and this can be done in one of two ways. 

1. You can come to the police department during normal business hours and request to speak with an officer. 
2. You can contact York County Communications Center at 717-854-5571 and request an officer on duty respond to your residence.  This can be done at any time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Once you contact LWTPD, it is recommended that you do the following:

1. Contact each of the three credit bureaus (listed below) and place a fraud alert on your credit reports.  This will flag your credit reports and prevent further damage by the thief or thieves.  Fraud alerts also enable you to receive free credit reports from the credit bureaus in order to identify fraudulent activity or accounts.  The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each major nationwide credit bureau to provide consumers with a free annual credit report which can be obtained through www.annualreport.com.  The credit bureaus contact information is as follows:
   1. Equifax:  1-800-525-6285 – P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374
   2. Experian:  1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) – P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX
   3. TransUnion:  1-800-680-7289 – P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 928342
2. Close accounts may have been comprised.  Contact your bank and credit companies, if necessary, and open new accounts.
3. Report the crime to the Federal Trade Commission.  You can file a complaint online at www.ftc.gov/idtheft or call the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline, toll-free:  1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261; or write: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.  This information is then processed into the Consumer Sentinel Database that is available only to law enforcement officers.