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Paley Rothman shares this library of resources with clients and friends of the firm to help them stay ahead of legal and business developments and trends. Here, you will find helpful tips and tools written by our attorneys. The information in the blogs and articles is not a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied on as such. Should you have any questions or want legal advice, please contact the attorney who wrote the blog or article.

Litigation

What Is Utility-Related Identity Theft?

Introduction
You receive another utility or telephone bill in the mail. Wait! You already paid your bill and this is for an address or telephone number you don’t even recognize. You may be the victim of utilities identity theft.


What should I do to repair the damage? Acting quickly to limit the harm is critical.
If an identity thief opened a new account to get telephone, cable, electric, water, or other similar services in your name, do the following: 

Step 1: Contact the service provider. 

  • Tell them someone stole your identity. 
  • Ask them to close the account. 

Step 2: For additional help, contact your state Public Utility Commission and explain the situation. 

 

Step 3: For help with cell phone or telephone service, contact the Federal Communications Commission at 1-888-225-5322 or TTY 1-888-835-5322. 


Conclusion
We have discussed utilities, medical, government issued ids, tax, criminal and financial identity theft, but there are still many other types of identity theft and you should remain vigilant. If you still feel you need help, consult a lawyer with experience on these matters.