Dealing with Fraud Investigators After Identity Theft

Once your identity is stolen, you’ll probably have to deal with a fraud investigator throughout the recovery process.  If you want your communications to be more effective, then this article will tell you what you need to know about working with fraud investigators after identity theft. 

Before you take your case to an investigator, you should get all of the information organized.  This will help the investigator resolve the case much faster than if you are disorganized.  You’ll want to write down all of the detail you can think of about the fraud.  Later, you can go back and edit them, but for right now, write down anything you think might be important. 

Some things you definitely want to include in your list are the details of how you discovered the fraud, any facts you have about the identity of the thief, locations where any fraudulent activity occurred, and any information the thief used during transactions.  You will also want to include details about any communication you’ve had while trying to investigate the fraud.  You’ll want to have the name of the company, their address, phone numbers, and any other information, the specific person you talked to, the dates you spoke to them, and what was said.  Make sure you also have copies of all important documents or paperwork that may be needed for your case. 

Once you have written down all of the important details, you can organize it into an easy to read letter.  The top of the letter should contain your full name, your home and work address, and your home, work, and cell phone numbers.  While you shouldn’t put this information in the letter, you should be prepared to give the investigator your date of birth, social security number, and driver’s license number.  In fact, they may want copies of your cards to have on file.  After your information, you should organize the information into how you discovered the fraud, the fraudulent activity including dates and specific details, details about any affected accounts, and facts about the thief. 

Once you give your letter to the investigator, let them ask you any further questions they have.  Make sure to keep your answers directed to the questions asked.  You can ask questions once the investigator has finished getting the information from you.  Once the investigator finishes, you can ask your questions and find out what you can do to help make the process easier.  If you have new evidence you can contact the investigator with it.  Otherwise, don’t call more often than every 3-4 weeks to find out the progress on your case. 

Following these guidelines should make the process easier for you and everyone involved.  Remember that the investigator has a job to do and will do whatever they need to do to solve your case.  In the meantime, the best way you can help is to let them do their job.  Give them the information they want and answer any questions they have.  You’ll have an easier time dealing with the investigator if you don’t get emotional about your case.  If you need to talk to someone, then you should talk to a friend or family members.  Conversations with the fraud investigator should be kept professional.