As a former victim of identity theft, Congresswoman Sánchez understands the damage and seemingly endless complications that this crime can cause. She is grateful that the crime didn't turn her life upside-down thanks to the early detection by her phone company, but most victims aren't so lucky.
A recent government report study found that the average victim of identity theft spends about $4,800 and 30 hours to repair the damage caused by the crime. Identity theft can hurt your chances of getting loans for your homes, businesses, or education. Victims of identity theft are at risk of losing their jobs or even being arrested for crimes they didn’t commit.
Since she came to Congress, she has been working in Washington and back home in California to prevent identity theft and help victims get their lives back.
She was a co-sponsor of the Identity Theft Protection and Information Blackout Act, which would have established identity theft prevention measures and protected consumers’ sensitive health-related information. More recently, she co-sponsored the Comprehensive Veterans’ Data Protection and Identity Theft Prevention Act to protect the families of American veterans whose personal information – including Social Security Numbers, birthdates and addresses – was lost by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Here are some on-line resources that can help you protect yourself against becoming a victim of identity theft, or if you have already been a victim, help repair the damage done.
For more information, or to find out how her Cerritos office can help you navigate the resources of various state and local agencies, please call 562-860-5050.
U.S. Federal Trade Commission
Take Charge: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft
Learn more about identity theft and what resources are available to help.
FREE Annual Credit Reports
Stay alert against new, unauthorized credit accounts.
California Department of Consumer Affairs
Top Ten Tips for Identity Theft Protection
Things you can do to guard against becoming a victim.
Identity Theft Victim Checklist
A must-read for victims of identity theft.
How to “Freeze” Your Credit Files
Freezing your credit files prevents anyone else from creating new accounts in your name.
