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About Us
| How does the program work? |
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Victims of identity theft who contact their local police department, either to make a complaint or file a report, will now have the option of being referred to their local Identity Theft Council for free advice and assistance on how to respond to and recover from the crime. Victims are introduced by their police department to local volunteer counselors who have been trained in identity theft prevention and response. Counselors undergo regular training on all aspects of identity theft and fraud, have signed a contract, have been subjected to background screening, and are monitored by the council. Each local Identity Theft Council is made up of volunteers representing the police department, the local business community, local government, and individual volunteers. Counselors are selected based on a number of factors, including specific skills, business or professional background, and ability to commit their time. Counselors include retired law enforcement professionals, lawyers, accountants, and business owners who have specific skills that can be augmented by continuous training. Victims can contact counselors by phone, by email, or through a dedicated local Identity Theft Council web site. Counselors will meet in person with the victim and can bring it other counselors with specific skills that may help individual victims. The counselor will examine the victim’s case and prepare a response plan, personally assisting the victim through all steps of the plan including: • Filing a police report. • Completing an identity theft affidavit. • Contacting creditors. • Helping the victim place fraud alerts or credit freezes. • Completing form letters and responses. • Dealing with debt collectors. If a counselor deems that a case is too complex to be handled locally, the victim may then be referred to the Identity Theft Recovery Unit of Intersections, whose trained support staff will take over the case free of charge. |
Our Board of Directors
Neal O'Farrell, Executive Director
Anne Madrid, Inspector, Hayward Police Department
Craig Spiezle, Founder, the Online Trust Alliance
Our Address
1990 North California Boulevard
8th Floor
Walnut Creek CA 94596
tel: (925) 930 3978
fax: (866) 809 4295
Partners and Supporters
Junior Counselor Program
The Identity Theft Council is partnering with local schools to create a corps of volunteer Junior Counselors. Check it out.
