Identity Theft
The law may provide relief to identity theft victims in some circumstances.
• The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides mechanisms to dispute and repair damage created by fraudulent accounts.  
• The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act provides mechanisms to stop harassing debt collection calls.
• A patchwork of state and federal laws provide mechanisms to put legitimate pressure on creditors attempting to
collect on fraudulent accounts.
Recent changes to Fair Credit Reporting Act expand the rights of victims of identity theft to fight back.  Consumers do not have to have an attorney to
exercise these rights.  However, you need to know your rights in order to exercise them.  We can advise you on how to trigger short deadlines for the
credit reporting agencies, the creditors, and the debt collectors to verify the debt or to remove the debt from your credit report.  You can then either
represent yourself or see about retaining our firm to represent you.  
Each case is different.  To find out what rights you might have in your case   
contact us for an initial consultation.
Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information to pose as you in order to obtain extensions of credit, typically credit cards.  The bills go
unpaid. The victim does not typically find out about the fraud until months later.  By that time, the victim's credit rating is seriously damaged. The victim gets
hounded by creditors and debt collectors for debts they did not create, did not authorize and received no benefit from.
Ahmad Keshavarz
Consumer Protection Attorney
Identity Theft: Answers to Common Questions

What is identity theft?

Is there anything you can do to prevent identity theft?

Is the internet a cause of identity theft?

How do people typically find out their identity has been stolen?

What are common debt collection violations that identity theft victims experience?

How long does it typically take a victim of identity theft to find out their identity has been stolen? Will the victim still be liable for the underlying disputed
debt?

Do I owe any legal obligations to creditors after I find out my identity has been stolen?

What can an attorney do for me?

Note: These are excerpts from an interview of Ahmad Keshavarz on the "Ask an Attorney" television program sponsored by the Travis
County Bar Association.
This is not legal advice. If you have questions as to your particular matter, please schedule an appointment. Also, the statutes governing
identity theft have been amended since the date of this interview, altering the rights and obligations of victims of identity theft.
_____________