There is a toll free number (one number to report to all three credit bureaus) 1-866-ID Hotline. Does anyone know more about this number and how it can be used? Thanks.

Are you by chance meaning 1-877-IDTHEFT? That number is run by the FTC for ID Theft and fraud. More can be discovered at www.consumer.gov/idtheft and it's all free I believe!

Thanks for the reply but no, I am not seeking information about the FTC, ID theft number. I think the 1-866 ID Hotline is a number that was set up by the three credit bureaus so that an individual could report ID theft to one number, vs calling all three credit bureaus. However, I can not find my source or additional information about that "service". Thus my question.

Sorry for the misinformation....how about this instead http://creditinfowire.com/news.asp?nid=54 It's a Maryland based org that provides similar help as the FTC site, but from my reading it doesn't sound like a three for one deal. It uses the phone number you listed...

I had not heard anything about this number, but a quick search on Google for "1-866-ID Hotline" produced a number of hits, with this being the first: Visa site

It offers some good info...

Check out this web site for Identity Theft information. www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

Any of these #s help
Social Security Fraud Hotline 1-800-269-0271
Opt out of credit card presecreened offers 1-888-5-optout
Equifax fraud hotline 1-800-525-6285
Experian fraud hotline 1-888-397-3742
Trans-union fraud hotline 1-800-680-7289

From ABA Daily Newsbytes (4/16/03)

FIGHTING IDENTITY THEFT

The nation's three credit reporting companies -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -- have set up a system that will enable identity fraud victims to protect their credit information by making one toll-free call to any of them, the Consumer Data Industry Association said yesterday. When an identity fraud victim calls any of the credit reporting companies, the company will alert the other two. Then each company will post a security alert on the victim's credit file; opt the victim out of preapproved credit or insurance offers; and mail the victim a copy of his or her credit file. The companies' toll-free numbers are: Equifax,1-800-525-6285; Experian, 1-888-397-3742; and TransUnion,1-800-680-7289.