Q:  Does Identity Guard accept prepaid credit cards for enrollment?

A: Currently, Identity Guard does not accept prepaid credit cards to enroll in their identity theft protection services.  They do, however, accept both debit cards and regular (non-prepaid) credit cards.  If you don't have a regular credit card, using your debit card would be the way to go.

As always, we highly recommend subscribing to a identity theft protection service such as Identity Guard.  It's a smart, proactive step to help protect your identity – one of your most valuable commodities.

Q:   How can I remove a fake profile of myself from Facebook?

A: What can you do if you find out someone has created a fake Facebook profile in your name?   This is actually a pretty easy situation to resolve.   If you already have a Facebook account, just go to the Facebook "Report a Fake Profile" page and enter the requested information.  If you don't have a Facebook account you can visit the Facebook "Imposter Profile" page and report the issue there.

You should be aware that someone setting up a fake profile in your name may be an indication of even more serious identity theft. To learn more about how to protect yourself, check out our Facebook identity theft protection guide.  To proactively protect yourself from identity theft, consider signing up for Trusted ID, our top-reviewed identity theft protection service.

Q:  My friend's dad is 80 years old and retired. Somehow his grandson has gotten a hold of his social security number. Both the grandfather and his grandson have the same name. The grandson has destroyed his grandfather's credit.  How can the grandfather prosecute the grandson?

A. Identity theft is a serious matter.  Since it is already known that your friend's dad's has had his identity stolen, he needs to first protect himself.  If he hasn't already taken the following steps, he should do so immediately to prevent more damage from occurring and to help remedy what has already occurred.  After contacting the credit bureaus (steps 1 & 2) when speaking with the police (step 3) he should enter into discussions about what action he can take against his grandson.  They will be able to provide further guidance in this matter.

1) Contact each of the three credit bureaus and ask them to place a credit freeze on his credit report. There is a small fee in most states for setting a credit freeze, but it will completely lock down his credit file and insure that no further financial accounts are opened fraudulently in his name. Here is the contact information for each of the three credit bureaus:

TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013

Another option is to set a fraud alert instead of a credit freeze. A fraud alert is an annotation on your credit report that lets potential lenders know that you have reason to believe that you are an identity theft victim. While fraud alerts can be useful in many cases, his situation seems serious enough to warrant a full credit freeze.

2) Get a copy of his credit report from all three credit bureaus. His credit report will list all the financial accounts that have been opened and reported to the credit bureaus in his name. This will be very important in tracking the damage that already seems to have been done by his grandson.  He can request a free copy of his credit report from each of the credit bureaus when he sets a credit freeze or fraud alert. He can also get a credit report instantly by signing up for a free trial of a credit report service like Identity Guard. Once he has his credit reports in hand, he should review them thoroughly to identify any accounts that he doesn't recognize. Then he should contact the customer support department of each of these suspect accounts and let them know that he believes that the account has been opened fraudulently.   In this case he can name the specific offender (his grandson) and explain the situation.  Each of these companies will have a different process for dealing with the fraud, but he should make sure that each of these accounts is closed immediately.

3) File a report with your local police or sheriff's department. This is very important, especially since it seems that identity theft has already occurred.  He needs to call the non-emergency phone number for his local law enforcement agency and report the identity theft. He may be able to file his report over the phone or he may have to file it in person.  Regardless of the route he takes, it will be helpful to have supporting documentation of what has happened.  In this case that might include his grandson's information, which specific accounts have been opened, what money has been taken and what he has done to prevent future theft.  The police should also be able to guide him in how he can press charges against his grandson and possibly prosecute him.

4)  File an identity theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). While the FTC can't provide assistance with individual identity theft cases, reporting his case can help identity patterns in identity theft crimes that can help prevent others from being victimized.  He can file an identity theft complaint with the FTC at this website:

https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

5) Consider an identity theft protection service such as Trusted ID or Identity Guard to help prevent being victimized in the future. Each of these services will help mitigate the risk of future identity theft and may be able to provide assistance with his current identity theft issues. You can see a list of all of the identity theft protection services we have reviewed at NextAdvisor.com.

A: If you have lost your social security card and need another one, you can get a free replacement. The social security office limits the number of replacement cards they will issue to 3 a year and 10 in your lifetime, but this should be plenty for the majority of people.

To obtain a replacement card you need to complete the official government Application for a Social Security Card form and take it or mail it to your local social security office. This form requires you to provide personal information such as your name, your social security number and your parent's personal information. You will also have to show documents proving your identity and that you are a US citizen (or if you aren't a US citizen, proof of current employment). This can be a little tricky as the social security office will only accept original documents, or documents certified by the custodian of the original record. They won't accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. If at all possible, it makes sense to visit a social security office rather than mailing one of these documents to them. That way you won't have these important documents out of your possession. Once all your documents have been verifying and your application is processed it takes approximately 10-14 days to get your replacement social security card.

Your social security card is a valuable piece of information, and it should be carefully guarded. If your card has been lost or stolen you may be at risk for identity theft. Someone can use your SSN to apply for everything from mortgages to bank accounts. We recommend protecting yourself by signing up for one of the identity theft services reviewed on our site.

Q: I would like to get information on what protection is available for a person who identity is already stolen and is being attempted to be used. I was wondering about instant alerts any time my name or credit is trying to be used or credit being extended. Please contact me with this information at your earliest convenience. Thank you!

A: What you have described in your question is called a fraud alert, and it is definitely a good idea to set these alerts with the credit bureaus if you believe that your identity has been stolen. Once you set a fraud alert with one credit bureau, that bureau will notify the other two. Fraud alerts expire after 90 days, so you'll need to reset them if you want to continue to be protected. LifeLock, one of our top-reviewed identity theft protection services, can help walk you through the process of setting fraud alerts and send you reminders when they need to be reset.

You may also want to consider a credit freeze, which would lock down your credit report to prevent any new accounts from being opened in your name. The details of setting a credit freeze vary depending on your state, but you would have to pay a small fee of $10.00 or so to set the freeze, and again when you are ready to unfreeze your account. You would have to set the credit freeze with each bureau individually, and pay the fee three times. You can learn more about freezing your credit and setting fraud alerts at ConsumersUnion.org.

It is a good idea to invest in an identity theft protection service, since in addition to taking measures to prevent and detect identity theft, most of these services will also help you restore your identity if you do become a victim. To learn more about LifeLock and other identity theft protection services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Q: I found out that someone used my grandson's Social Security number to get phone service. How can I stop this? He's only 11 years old.

A: If someone has used or is using a child's Social Security number to secure a service, the child is a victim of identity theft. You should file a report with a local police department immediately. Having a police report will make it easier to have the fraudulent item or items removed from the child's credit report. You should also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

You should also call the phone company to inform them that the service has been fraudulently obtained using a minor's Social Security number. If you are your grandson's legal guardian, you can request a copy of his credit report from all three credit bureaus, and ask that fraudulent items be removed and that his credit report be frozen until he turns 18. If you are not your grandson's legal guardian, one of his parents will need to make this request.

When a parent or legal guardian contacts a credit bureau on their child's behalf, they need to provide the child's complete name, address, and date of birth, and copies of the child's birth certificate and Social Security number. The parent or guardian must also provide a copy of their own drivers license or other government-issued proof of identity, including their current address, and a utility bill containing the current address.

Here is the contact information for the three credit bureaus:

Experian
(888)397-3742
http://www.experian.com

Experian
PO Box 9532
Allen , TX 75013

Equifax
(800) 658-1111
http://www.equifax.com

Equifax
P.O. Box 105069
Atlanta , GA 30348

TransUnion
(800) 916-8800
http://www.transunion.com

TransUnion
PO Box 6790
Fullerton , CA 92834

To protect children from becoming victims of identity theft in the future, you may consider investing in an identity theft protection service, such as TrustedID, which offers protection to children. You may also be interested in our Child Identity Theft Protection Guide.

Q: If someone who has just turned 18 and has no prior credit history loses his wallet, what can he do to prevent someone using his driver's license to open up new accounts in his name? Would it do him any good to contact the credit bureaus, or are they only an available resource for people with credit histories?

A: A credit report is not created until you open your first line of credit. And if you do not have a credit report, it is not possible to set a fraud alert. Since the young man in this particular case is now over 18, he should request his own credit reports from all three bureaus in order to confirm that no fraudulent accounts have been opened in his name. He may also find that he does, in fact, have a short but legitimate credit report already, perhaps due to a gym membership, DVD rental card, or student loan. If so, he can set fraud alerts or freeze his credit file to prevent new accounts from being opened in his name.

If he truly has no credit file whatsoever and wishes to set fraud alerts or freeze his credit, he would first need to apply for some form of credit, such as a credit card. In order to acquire his first credit card, he may need a cosigner.

However, whether or not this young man has an existing credit file, he could subscribe to a credit report monitoring or identity theft service, which would immediately alert him to any suspicious activity. You can check out our reviews, comparison charts, and frequently asked questions to learn more about credit report monitoring or identity theft protection services. You may also be interested in our Student Identity Theft Protection Guide.

Q: Do any of the identity theft protection companies you feature offer an advocates service if my identity is compromised or stolen? Will someone be assigned to act on my behalf with creditors, banks, retailers, etc to work through rectification?

A: Yes. If you subscribe to an identity theft protection service and you subsequently become a victim of identity theft, recovery experts will advice you on your options and leverage their network of resources in order to help restore your identity. Most of the identity theft protection services reviewed on NextAdvisor.com guarantee a certain amount of money, usually up to $1,000,000, to cover the costs associated with restoring your identity. Each service approaches identity recovery and restoration differently, so it is important to research each service to understand what it does and does not cover in the unfortunate case that a subscriber does become a victim.

To learn more about identity theft protection services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Q: Does TrustedID also cover legal costs which may occur during the restoration of your identity after ID theft?

A: Yes. TrustedID's identity theft protection service includes a $1,000,000 service warranty, which means that if your identity is stolen, TrustedID will cover many of the costs associated with restoring your identity, up to $1,000,000. This covers certain out of pocket expenses required to recover your identity, including legal fees incurred in the United States, for an attorney who has been approved by TrustedID in writing. TrustedID will also provide you with an on call protection specialist, to walk you though all the steps you need to take in order to prevent further damage to your credit.

To learn more about TrustedID or other identity theft protection services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Q: If someone has stolen your identity, and taken money out of your checking account or charged something using your bank account, do you get the money back?

A: Most of the identity theft protection services reviewed on NextAdvisor.com guarantee a certain amount of money, usually up to $1,000,000, to cover the costs associated with restoring your identity. These guarantees do not, however, cover money that is stolen from your checking account.

It is up to your bank or financial institution to restore money that has been stolen from your accounts. Many banks voluntarily offer zero-liability policies, which means that they are effectively promising to replace any stolen funds. Visa and MasterCard also offer zero-liability policies, which extend to debit cards as well as credit cards. The money in your bank account is also federally protected, to an extent. If your debit card is lost or stolen, your liability is limited to $50.00 in losses, as long as you report the loss to your bank within 2 business days. If you report the loss within 60 calendar days from the time your bank statement is mailed, your liability is limited to $500.00. Federal protections are a bit more generous in the event that your debit card number is stolen, as opposed to the card itself.