What should I do if I have become a victim of "identity theft"?
You should gather whatever documentation you have and come to our Business Desk, during business hours to file a police report, however you should not wait to begin making the following notifications:

1. Credit card issuers. Get replacement cards with new account numbers. Ask that the old accounts be processed as “account closed at consumer’s request”. This is better than “card lost or stolen”, because when this statement is reported to credit bureaus, it can be interpreted as blaming you for the loss. 
2. Fraud Units of the three credit reporting companies: TRW, Equifax, and Trans Union. Report the theft of your credit cards and/or numbers. Ask that your accounts be flagged. Also, add a victim’s statement to your report such as “My ID has been used to apply for credit fraudulently. Contact me at XXX-XXX-XXXX (your phone number) to verify all applications. 
3. Your Bank: Cancel your checking and savings accounts and obtain new account numbers. Ask the bank to issue you a secret password that must be used in every transaction. Put stop payments on any outstanding checks that you are unsure of. If you use an ATM card for banking services, get a new card, account number, and password. Do not use your old password. When creating a password, avoid such commonly used numbers as the last four digits of your Social Security number and your birth date.
4. Telecheck & National Processing Company: If you have had checks lost or stolen, report it to these companies. These are check guarantee companies and they can flag your file so that bogus checks will be turned down. Telecheck can be reached at 800-366-2425. National Processing Company can be reached at 800-526-5380. 
5. Social Security Administration: Notify the Social Security Administration’s office of the Inspector General if your SSN has been used fraudulently http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm. You may want to have your SSN changed if your number has become associated with bad checks and credit. CAUTION: This step should be reserved for only the most extreme situations. You must be sure to notify all credit grantors and credit reporting bureaus of your new SSN.
6. Passport: If you have a passport, notify the passport office http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/lost/lost_848.html to be on the lookout for anyone ordering a new passport fraudulently.
7. Utilities: Call your telephone (including long distance carrier), electrical, gas and water utilities. Alert them to the possibility that someone may attempt to open new service using your identification.
8. Secret Service. The Secret Service has jurisdiction over financial fraud cases. This federal government agency usually does not investigate individual cases unless the dollar amount is very high. To interest the Secret Service in your case, ask someone in the fraud department of your credit card companies and/or banks to notify the particular SS agent they work with.
9. Federal Trade Commission: The FTC collects complaints about identity theft from consumers who have been victimized. Although the FTC does not have the authority to bring criminal cases, the Commission can help victims of identity theft by providing information to assist them in resolving the financial and other problems that can result from this crime. The FTC also refers victim complaints to other appropriate government agencies and private organizations for further action. For more information visit: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft  
10. If you've been a victim of identity theft, file a complaint with the FTC by contacting the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline by telephone: toll-free 877-IDTHEFT (438-4338); TDD: 202-326-2502; by mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
11. Keep a log. In dealing with the authorities and financial institutions, keep a log of all conversations, including dates and names. Send correspondence by certified mail. Keep copies of all letters and documents. Provide your police report number to expedite reporting the crime.
12. Consumer Assistance: The nearest office of Consumer Credit Counseling Service might be able to help you remove fraudulent claims from your credit report. Call 800-388-2227.
13. Legal Counsel: Consider seeking legal counsel, especially if you have difficulty clearing up your credit history, or your case is complex and involves a lot of money. An attorney can help you recover from the fraud and determine whether your rights under various credit, banking, SSN and other laws have been violated.