The Secret to Making Identity Restoration Faster and Less Stressful
Identity theft is a stressful experience, especially when it comes to dealing with the aftermath. Identity restoration can be time-consuming and overwhelming — on average, restoring a stolen identity takes a whopping 600 hours.¹ The good news is that you don’t have to go it alone. If identity fraud strikes, an identity restoration specialist can give you step-by-step support and advice to help you restore your good name.
Read on to learn how having an expert on your side can save you time and make identity restoration a less stressful ordeal.
Find Identity Restoration Help
So, how do you get in touch with an identity restoration agent? These experts are typically provided by identity monitoring services, including Identity Champion. Our Protect and Complete plans offer dedicated, hands-on, US-based specialists who will support you through the process of restoring your stolen identity.
Concern about fraud is common, with 84% of people reporting that they’re worried or anxious about identity theft.² Knowing you have a dedicated identity specialist on your side in case things go wrong can help you feel greater peace of mind.
Determine if Identity Theft Has Occurred
If you receive alerts from your identity monitoring service about suspicious activity, you may suspect that your identity has been stolen but be unsure.
With a specialist on your side, help is a phone call away. Your identity restoration expert can help you determine if your identity has been stolen, and if so, help you take steps to respond immediately.
Don’t Waste Time on the Phone
Contacting your financial institutions and/or the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) is an important step in identity restoration, but it can be a real hassle. Navigating the maze of phone directories and waiting on hold for extended periods of time can make this a lengthy process.
Thankfully, Identity Champion’s dedicated identity restoration agents have direct phone numbers to the departments you’ll need to speak with, letting you bypass much of the wait. They’ll also stay on the line with you to help explain the situation and what needs to happen next.
When you call your financial institutions together, your specialist will help you request that any compromised accounts be closed and transferred, if necessary.
And when you call the credit bureaus, they’ll help you initiate actions such as placing a fraud alert on your credit report, requesting that fraudulent activity be removed from your credit report, and placing a credit freeze on your account.
File Reports Quickly and Efficiently
Your identity restoration agent is an expert at restoring a stolen identity and knows the ins and outs of the entire process, including filing reports with government agencies at the local and federal level.
They’re able to file a police report for you and provide detailed instructions and guidance on the steps to take if your driver’s license or passport have been compromised.
They’ll help you report your identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission, and if your Social Security Number was compromised, they know the correct process for alerting the IRS.
Every step of the way, your dedicated specialist can make the identity restoration process faster, easier, and more efficient.
Replace Your Wallet
If your wallet was lost or stolen, your dedicated specialist can help you contact financial institutions, card issuers, and your state’s DMV to replace your wallet’s content.
Identity Champion members with a Protect or Complete plan can make this process faster and easier through our Lost Wallet Assistance feature. Lost Wallet Assistance is accessible through our online portal and provides a secure place to store detailed information about the contents of your wallet, so if your wallet is lost you’ll know exactly which cards will need to be replaced (and have pertinent card information on hand!).
While identity fraud is a stressful experience, having the hands-on support and guidance of an identity restoration specialist can make the recovery process faster, easier, and much more manageable. Identity Champion’s Protect or Complete plans both come with identity restoration agents. Learn more here.
Do you suspect your identity has been stolen? Identity Champion Members can call 1-844-IDCHAMP (1-844-432-4267) to get help.