Connecticut state resources for personal identity theft protection
Note: These resources are specifically designed to address personal identity theft prevention and incidents of consumer identity theft. Because most state and federal identity theft and consumer protection laws are designed to protect individual consumers, businesses generally do not enjoy the same rights, protections, and potential recourse as consumers. Therefore, while helpful in addressing many issues that you may face as an individual, be aware that consumer identity theft information may not be applicable to an incident of business identity theft or fraud.
CT Department of Consumer Protection identity theft website
Connecticut Attorney General consumer identity theft website
Learn how to protect your personal credit
Business identity thieves often use the identity information (and credit) of the business owner or company officers to open new accounts, or as guarantors of fraudulent loans and lines of credit. In addition to taking actions to protect your business, it is also important to protect yourself as well. This section provides detailed explanations of important consumer credit protection tools that are available to help protect your personal credit from identity thieves.
Use the links below to learn what these tools are, how they work, and how to use them to help protect your personal credit.
Tools & Resources to Protect Your Personal Credit:
Review, Manage, and Protect Your Connecticut State Business Filings
If your business does not regularly review your state business filings, file your annual reports in a timely manner, or enroll in email alerts or other preventative systems that may be offered by your state, you may unknowingly attract the unwanted attention of business identity thieves.
Note: As of January 1, 2012, the Connecticut Secretary of the State's Office began mandating online filing of Annual Reports. When an Annual Report is filed online, the filer receives immediate email confirmation, but the entity is also notified at its email address of record that a filing just took place. This allows Connecticut business entities to remain vigilant about their Report filings.
Review and Protect Your Business Credit Reports
Business identity thieves can manipulate or falsify business credit records and then use these to impersonate your business, or as a part of a fraud scheme to target your business. To combat this, you should periodically review your business credit reports and the information that is being reported.
Contact the business credit reporting agencies:
Report and Correct Fraudulent Connecticut Business Filings
In Connecticut, if your state business records have been fraudulently changed or updated, contact the Connecticut Secretary of the State Commercial Recording Division to report and correct fraudulent business filings. Contact information is provided below.
Please note that you should only contact the Connecticut Secretary of the State Commercial Recording Division for business identity theft incidents involving fraudulent business records. Be aware that under Connecticut state law, the Secretary of the State may only alter the business records under court orders.
All other types of business identity theft incidents and related fraud should be reported directly to law enforcement. Also review the Business Identity Theft Victim Action List for other important steps to take.
Connecticut Credit Security Freeze
Connecticut enacted its own state law establishing the availability of credit security freezes for its citizens. The three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) have also voluntarily made security freezes available to all Connecticut state citizens. Innovis voluntarily allows consumers in all states to freeze their Innovis credit files.
Eligibility: All consumers
Credit Security Freeze Fees: Per credit bureau. To be effective, you should place a freeze at each credit bureau
• No cost for confirmed identity theft victims (with a copy of a police report)
• All others must pay $10.00 to place a new freeze, to temporarily lift the freeze, or to remove it entirely
• There is a $12.00 fee to temporarily lift the freeze for a specific company
• The freeze will remain in place until you remove it
To Place a Credit Security Freeze in Connecticut:
• Experian security freeze website
• Equifax security freeze website
• TransUnion security freeze website
• Innovis security freeze website
Report Business Identity Theft to Connecticut Law Enforcement
In Connecticut, if your business is a victim of business identity theft, you should report the crime to your local law enforcement agency. You may also file a complaint with the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice.
In the case of fraudulent business filings, the Connecticut Secretary of the State Commercial Recording Division may also report or escalate to law enforcement as appropriate.
Also review the Business Identity Theft Victim Action List for other important steps to take.
State of Connecticut - Division of Criminal Justice
Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice website
CT Division of Criminal Justice phone: (860) 258-5800
Address:
Office of the Chief State's Attorney
300 Corporate Place
Rocky Hill, Connecticut 06067 |
Connecticut Department of Public Safety
Connecticut Department of Public Safety website