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Legal offers advice to recent credit card fraud victims

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  • By Robins Legal Office
During the past two weeks, many Robins employees have reported being victims of credit card fraud. The problem is being investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

If you notice suspicious activity on your account, you should file a report with your local off-base police department. You should also file a written report with your credit card company.

A sample report can be found at www.ftc.com.

You must direct your report to the "billing error address" provided on your statement, and it must reach the creditor within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was sent to you.

If you decide to call your credit card company for faster action, use the special numbers many card companies list on their billing statements. However, it is vital to still follow your phone call with a letter, preferably certified with return receipt. Only the letter protects you under the Fair Credit Billing Act. The credit card company will then be responsible for conducting an investigation and notifying you of the result. It will be the credit card company's responsibility to resolve the dispute within two billing cycles. During this process, the creditor may not freeze your account; however, it is advisable to close all accounts which have been tampered with, and change all pins and passwords.

If you are a victim of credit fraud or identity theft, you should notify the Federal Trade Commission. You can contact the FTC through its website, www.ftc.gov, or its ID Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338.

You should also place a "fraud alert" on file with the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. If you discover any errors on your credit report, you will want to call the credit bureaus and send a letter to dispute information which is inaccurate. Enclose copies of all documents to support your position.

The attorneys at the Robins Legal Office can help you draft a proper dispute letter.

For questions or legal consultation regarding credit card fraud, contact the Robins Legal Office at 926- 9276.

What to know

Although it is not always possible to prevent credit card fraud, here are steps you can take to minimize the possibility:

*Save your card receipts to compare with your billing statements.

*Avoid signing blank receipts, and draw a line through blank spaces above the total when you sign card receipts.

*Keep your card in view after you give it to a clerk and retrieve your card promptly after use.

*Keep a record of your card numbers, their expiration dates, and the phone number and address of each company in a secure place. *Open billing statements promptly and reconcile your card accounts each month, just as you would your checking account.

*Notify card companies in advance of a change of address.