Manassas Identity Theft Lawyer

Identity theft in our current cyber-friendly world is a common issue that consumers face. ID theft can affect individuals and businesses alike. While many people see the harm that identity theft causes, victims of ID theft frequently do not understand their rights. Moreover, it can be daunting to determine what steps to take and what collateral issues may exist that need correction.

Repairing the Damage of Identity Theft

If someone has stolen your personal information to run up charges under your name or hijack your identity, the adverse effects can linger for months or years. The law office of Thomas R. Breeden, P.C., works proactively to restore your credit rating and pursue damages for a credit agency’s inaction.

Manassas identity theft attorney Tom Breeden brings 30 years of experience in consumer fraud and identity theft representation. Call 703-659-0188 for an initial consultation. We represent individuals in Prince William County, Fairfax County, northern Virginia and statewide.

What To Do if You Are the Victim of Identity Theft

Don’t let a bad situation get worse. If you are the victim of credit card fraud, false impersonation, or another form of ID theft, read the information below and contact an identity theft lawyer from our firm:

• Prove you don’t owe the money — We work directly with credit bureaus and creditors to demonstrate unauthorized use of your bank accounts or charge cards. Attorney Breeden can also step in if the bank or credit card company refuses to forgive the charges and penalties.
• Fix your credit report — Identity theft leads to past due notices, late fees, collection agency referrals and other black marks on your credit report. These inaccurate charges can seriously affect borrowing, employment, college enrollment or security clearances. You may be barred from establishments or told your personal checks are not honored. Mr. Breeden can prepare a letter to dispute the charges and convince the credit reporting agencies to repair them in a timely fashion.
• Exercise your rights — If fast resolution is most important, Mr. Breeden can contact the credit bureau’s attorneys with the message, “Get this cleaned up and there won’t be any legal action.” Alternatively, he can initiate a lawsuit against the credit reporting agency for its failure to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Compensation can include actual damages (for example, being turned down for a loan), your attorney fees and possibly punitive damages.

Attorney Breeden has the knowledge and experience needed to help you recover from ID theft.

Protecting Consumers Facing Credit Report Error Issues

Consumer credit is a big deal in the modern world. Your credit report follows you like a financial report card, determining what kind of financing you can get and on what terms. Errors in your credit report can harm your financial standing in numerous ways.

Federal law provides consumers with certain rights with regard to their credit reports. It also imposes certain requirements on financial institutions to ensure that credit reporting is fair, transparent and accurate. When banks, credit card companies and other financial institutions fail to meet those standards, they should be held accountable. Moreover, correcting errors on credit reports is critical for the financial health of consumers.

Note that not every entry in a credit report can be modified. It is vital to work with an attorney for guidance and assistance in understand what is considered an error on a credit report, and in seeking to obtain corrections for the errors on any of the credit reporting systems.

At the law firm of Thomas R. Breeden, P.C., consumer protection lawyer Thomas Breeden is a strong advocate for consumers, standing up against financial giants to set things right again. You can turn to him for guidance on any kind of credit-related issue. He is committed to righting wrongs when it comes to fighting for those harmed by credit reporting errors or identity theft.

The Nightmare of Identity Theft

Despite ever-evolving advances in security and cybersecurity, identity theft remains an ongoing issue, affecting millions of consumers across the country every year. Identity theft can create a financial nightmare for you. You may end up with significant debt on your credit report, resulting in a plummeting credit score. Even if you reach out to the credit companies to report the issue, they may not resolve it.

Computer hacking is commonly the subject matter of television shows and other forms of popular media. Unfortunately, hackers may seek to obtain vital information to gain access to an individual’s identity. These data security breaches create complex legal issues when data involves identity theft. Hackers may target an individual’s identity directly. Seeking to steal information from cellphones, financial statements in the mail or trash, as well as through schemes to hijack information using some form of card skimming technology.

Data thieves may often use information to open new accounts in the name of others. In these situations, the victim may certainly learn of the fictitious account opened in their name. The immediate concern is to correct the situation related to the false account. However, it is also important to address credit reporting issues related to the fictitious account. This step is easy to overlook for many people. When identity theft and/or credit card fraud occurs, it is critical for victims to seek the guidance of an experienced consumer protection attorney to help ensure that all of the potential issues that may result from identity theft are addressed.

Information on credit reports related to an unauthorized account raises complex legal issues. While the first step of solving identity theft related obligations is more obviously, the full scope of a consumer’s harm may not be fully resolved without attention to the potential damage to a credit report that results from a credit reporting error tied to the fictitious account.

Consumer protection attorney Thomas R. Breeden can take swift action to ensure a positive resolution. He knows how to motivate financial institutions that aren’t taking the right measures in a timely manner.

Addressing Other Credit Errors

Mistakes on your credit report can be a huge headache. It often requires a great deal of prodding to get credit companies to fix these errors. In the meantime, your credit may be suffering, holding you back from financial opportunities.

When you work with attorney Breeden, he will work hard to resolve the error. He provides the meticulous attention to detail and the determined resolve that it takes to fix these issues.

Frequently Asked Questions About Identity Theft

There is a lot of confusion around identity theft. Read on for answers to common questions, and contact our lawyer for questions specific to your situation.

What are some of the methods used by identity thieves to obtain private information?

Unfortunately, there are numerous ways thieves can steal your identity. Some of the most common include:

• Soliciting your identifying information through phone, text or email scams (“phishing”)
• Creating a fake login website to gather your online credentials
• Installing malware on your devices
• Gleaning sensitive data from your phone, laptop or tablet that was stolen
• Skimming your credit card information with tampered card readers
• Purchasing your identifying information on the dark web
• Failing a fake tax return in your name to intercept a refund
• Hacking into your accounts

While more rare, potential identity thieves can even gather some of this information by physically looking over your shoulder – commonly referred to as “shoulder surfing.” They may also intercept your mail or even go through your trash – often known as “dumpster diving.”

Do I know the thief?

Identity thieves include “phishing” artists who trick people into giving out personal data, dishonest workers with access to sensitive information, and sophisticated criminal operations who steal Social Security or credit card numbers and sell them.

But very often, the identity thief is someone close to you: an adult child who has financial problems, and ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, or a “friend.” Victims are often reluctant to turn in a family member — our firm can still help restore your credit rating without exposing the culprit to criminal prosecution.

What are some warning signs that my identity has been stolen?

Red flags that may indicate identity theft include:

• Receiving a fraud alert from your credit card company or credit monitoring service
• Having unexplained charges on your bank account or credit card
• Receiving bank or credit card statements for accounts you don’t recognize
• Receiving a change of address confirmation from the U.S. Postal Service when you didn’t request a change
• Not receiving mail
• Noticing errors on your credit report
• Receiving collection notices or calls for debts you didn’t incur
• Getting denied credit

It’s important to take every indication of potential identity theft seriously.

What steps should I take if my identity has been stolen?

It’s important to act quickly to protect yourself if you suspect that your identity has been stolen. You can do this by:

• Notifying your bank and credit card companies
• Notifying the credit bureaus (TransUnion, Experian and Equifax) and placing a freeze on your credit
• Notifying the U.S. Postal Service if the identity theft involves mail fraud
• Report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission
• Enlist a lawyer to advocate for you in protecting your credit

A knowledgeable lawyer can help you take the right action to protect yourself and set your credit straight again.

Contact an Established Manassas Consumer Protection Law Firm

If you were the victim of identity theft in northern Virginia or anywhere else in the state, contact an ID theft attorney for an initial case evaluation. Call 703-659-0188 or 703-659-0188.