ID Theft Claims Another Wilkes Victim

On Monday, we reported on ID theft involving someone filing a fake IRS Tax Return using the name and information of a Wilkes resident.  Now another Wilkes resident is dealing with ID Theft.  This time someone has applied for a loan in another person’s name.  The victim was contacted by a loan company this week regarding payment on a loan.  However, the victim has not borrowed any money and is unfamiliar with the loan company.  Wilkes Sheriff’s Investigators are getting a credit report on the victim to try and determine a time frame regarding when the ID theft occurred.  No suspects were listed with the report, but the Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate.  According to the Federal Trade Commission or www.ftc.gov , the website AnnualCreditReport.com is the ONLY authorized source for the free annual credit report that's yours by law. The Fair Credit Reporting Act guarantees you access to your credit report for free from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — every 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission has received complaints from consumers who thought they were ordering their free annual credit report, and yet couldn't get it without paying fees or buying other services. TV ads, email offers, or online search results may tout "free" credit reports, but there is only one authorized source for a truly free credit report.  Again, the FTC recommended free site is www.AnnualCreditReport.com , and it is recommended that you check your personal credit history once a year to avoid ID theft.