ATTORNEY GENERAL LAUNCHES WEB SITE TO FIGHT ID THEFT, HELP VICTIMS

In an effort to help Texans prevent or minimize the damage from identity theft, Attorney General Greg Abbott has unveiled a new, consumer-friendly Web site at www.texasfightsidtheft.gov, which among other things, includes an Identity Theft Victim's Kit.

"Identity theft is the fastest-growing white collar crime in America," Attorney General Abbott said. "Victims whose credit is ruined or whose bank accounts are emptied because their personal information has been compromised must take immediate steps to repair the damage. Our new Web site contains helpful tools to help identity theft victims and Texans hoping to prevent identity theft."

The Attorney General's Identity Theft Victim's Kit offers a step-by-step priority checklist that victims can use as soon aspossible to prevent further damage. Once the identity theft has been confirmed, for example, victims should quickly close allchecking, credit, utility and service accounts. Next, victims should contact one of the major credit bureaus and request that fraud alerts or security freezes be placed on their credit reports. This action prevents new accounts from being opened fraudulently under victims' names.

In addition to offering useful information on what to do if you're a victim of identity theft; helpful tips on how to protect yourself, and valuable resources, the web site also features candid interviews with identity theft victims, who share their struggles to restore their reputations.