According to a recent study by Javelin Strategy & Research, more than 1 million U.S. children were victims of identity theft in 2017, leading to $2.6 billion in losses and families paying over $540 million out of pocket. In light of these staggering figures, the Federal Trade Commission has implemented a new “Child Identity Theft” option for those reporting ID theft through www.identitytheft.gov. The website also guides parents through the process of checking and freezing their child’s credit profiles for free and shows how to obtain credit reports through the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union).
 
In general, children should not have credit reports unless they are authorized users on their parent or guardian’s accounts. If your child has a credit profile, be sure to report the identity theft through www.identitytheft.gov and use the report to dispute in writing with the credit bureaus.
 
If the credit bureaus and lenders fail to remove the fraudulent reporting from your child’s credit profiles within 30 days, you will have a claim on the child's behalf under federal law. The law allows consumers to bring claims for no out-of-pocket expense because the defendants are required to pay your attorney’s fees and costs as part of your claim, along with potential damages to you, if you are successful. If you or your children are victims of identity theft, you should contact a Las Vegas identity theft attorney to discuss your rights under the law.
 
Source: https://www.javelinstrategy.com/coverage-area/2018-child-identity-fraud-study

Millions of U.S. consumers saw their credit scores rise due to new credit reporting guidelines implemented by the national credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union). The new guidelines prompted the credit bureaus to remove all non-loan collections, such as gym memberships and traffic tickets. Consumers who had at least one of these collection accounts deleted saw an average 11-point credit score increase. The credit bureaus implemented these new rules following settlements from lawsuits by several state attorneys general, including Nevada.
 
The report comes from Equifax, who sampled of millions of anonymous credit reports. Equifax’s report found that 8 million consumers had collections completely removed since the new credit reporting overhaul took effect. The percentage of debts in collections reflected on consumers’ credit profiles dropped from 12.5% in the second quarter of 2017 to 9.4% in the second quarter of 2018.
 
While this is great news for many consumers who had collections removed from their reports, this does not mean that consumers’ credit profiles will be free of errors. Nevada consumers should continue to check their credit reports using www.annualcreditreport.com to ensure the information is accurate and up-to-date. If you find any wrong information in your credit report, you should consult with a Las Vegas credit attorney to discuss your rights under federal law.
 
Source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/overhaul-boosts-credit-scores-of-millions-of-u-s-consumers-1534265756
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Nevadans face the highest risk of identity theft in the United States, according to a recent study by Securelife.com. The study looked at FBI statistics and data, such as the average loss per consumer and other general risk factors for each state. The average loss per identity theft victim in Nevada is $6,000, and the number of victims affected is 14 out of 100,000. In 2017, Nevadans lost $2.58 million to identity theft, which is more than double the next state on the list.
 
This survey demonstrates that identity theft and fraud in Nevada, and Las Vegas especially, must be addressed starting with better credit education. Las Vegas consumers should pull their credit reports at least annually to ensure the information is accurate and up-to-date. If you notice an error or fraudulent transaction, the first step is to initiate a "fraud alert" to prevent future damage. Next, Nevada consumers should visit Identitytheft.gov to fill out an FTC Identity Theft Victim’s Report and submit this report to the bureaus along with information about each fraudulent entry.
 
The national credit bureaus and data furnishers have 4 days to block the fraudulent information, and 30 days to investigate and remove it from your reports. If they fail, you have a legal claim against them under federal law that includes your attorney’s fees and costs as a measure of your damages. These companies must also cover your out-of-pocket damages, including loss of credit limits, loan denials, and financial losses. If you’re an identity theft victim, contact a Las Vegas identity theft lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
 
Source: https://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/local-news/8-on-your-side-nev-is-riskiest-place-to-become-victim-of-identity-theft/1324290564

A recent class action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles alleges that Equifax is misreporting accounts with past due balances when the accounts are paid and closed. This practice makes the accounts appear delinquent, which may lead to loan denials and increased interest rates. The lawsuit accuses Equifax of violating the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”) by failing to follow reasonable steps to ensure that the credit reports it generates for consumers are accurate.
 
This recent case demonstrates the ongoing need for Las Vegas consumers to review their credit reports regularly, especially after paying off a delinquent loan or credit card, to make sure the balance and past due information are correct. If the credit bureaus are reporting your account information incorrectly, you have the right to dispute this information online or in writing. The bureaus have 30 days to investigate your disputes and provide you with an updated credit report. If they fail to correct the inaccurate information, you have the right to hire an identity theft lawyer for no out-of-pocket expense because the FCRA includes those costs as a measure of your damages.
 
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/equifax-errors-lawsuit/lawsuit-alleges-equifax-misreports-consumers-paid-off-accounts-idUSL1N1U6202

According to NBC News, more than 1 million children in the U.S. were victims of identity theft last year, including those living here in Las Vegas and Henderson. Two-thirds of the child victims are under the age of eight. This recent spike in child identity theft has led to $2.67 billion in losses to consumers.
 
These figures don’t convey the whole story because many parents never check whether their children have credit profiles (most children under 18 should not have a credit report unless they have credit cards or accounts with their parents). Fraudsters and identity thieves seek out children’s Social Security numbers and private information because they are often unused and easier to take advantage of to open new accounts.
 
To prevent child identity theft, parents should visit www.annualcreditreport.com to see whether their children have credit reports. If so, parents should review the credit reports for any fraudulent or inaccurate information. If the reports contain fraudulent information, the parents should obtain a police report and write the major credit bureaus enclosing the police report and information about the fraud.
 
You have the right to sue the credit card companies and credit bureaus for false reporting if they fail to remove the fraudulent information within 30 days of your written notice. You can also hire an identity theft lawyer for no out-of-pocket cost because these companies are required to pay your fees and costs if you have a case.

Debt collection fraud is the most common scam affecting Las Vegas consumers. The scammers contact the unsuspecting person acting as legitimate debt collectors and threaten lawsuits and/or negative credit reporting. Other common debt collection scams include someone posing as an IRS or government agent demanding money or personal information to be used to steal the consumer’s identity.
 
If you receive collection calls, you should demand that the debt collector identify themselves and provide contact information for the collection company for which they are employed. Additionally, you should tell the collector you will not discuss the account without written validation in the mail listing the original creditor and the amount of the debt.
 
If you are a victim of illegal debt collection scams or harassing collections, you should contact a Las Vegas debt collection lawyer to protect your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. There is no out-of-pocket expense for the consumer because the collectors who violate the statute are required to pay your attorney’s fees and costs along with possible statutory damages if you prevail.
 
Source:https://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/8-on-your-side-most-common-scam-in-nevada-deals-with-debt-collection/1263522424
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Las Vegas residents are being targeted by identity thieves and scammers acting as Clark County officials. The scammers advise consumers that they have an arrest warrant for failure to appear for a jury summons. The crooks then seek to have the victim pay for the “fine” by providing their credit card information or loading a pre-paid credit card.

It is important for Las Vegas residents to know the Clark County court system will never call a resident to solicit money or personal information. Beware of emails or calls that appear to be jury summonses and ask for personal banking information or Social Security numbers.

If you are a victim of identity theft or illegal scams like this one, you should report the crime to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Nevada Attorney General’s office. You should also review your credit reports with a Las Vegas identity theft lawyer to ensure there are no fraudulent loans or other false information on your credit profiles.

Source: https://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/jury-scam-targets-clark-county-residents/1254432101 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada announced Tuesday that Virab Torosyan was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for using skimming devices at gas pumps to steal consumer’s credit card information. Mr. Torosyan, who previously pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, was ordered to pay over $40,000 in restitution. Both the U.S. Secret Service and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the identity theft and credit card scheme.

Federal court records reveal that Mr. Torosyan obtained over 1,600 stolen credit card and debit card account numbers, which he used to re-encode on blank plastic cards with magnetic strips. He then used these stolen cards to make illegal purchases in the Las Vegas and North Las Vegas areas.

This case highlights the ongoing need for Las Vegas consumers to protect their credit card and debit card information to avoid having this sensitive information taken by identity thieves and scammers. If possible, avoid using public ATM’s and gas station kiosks as these are easy targets for identity thieves.

​If you are a victim of identity theft or credit skimming, you should seek protection with a Las Vegas identity theft lawyer or Las Vegas credit attorney. Representation is free of charge because the banks and credit bureaus are required to compensate you for your attorney’s fees and costs.
 
Source: https://lasvegassun.com/news/2018/jun/12/man-gets-2-years-in-skimming-credit-card-info-thef/
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