Method for identity theft protection

• US 20020087460A1
• Filed: 01/04/2002
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Katharine A. Hornung
• Original Assignee: Katharine A. Hornung
• Inventors: Hornung, Katharine A.
• Application Number:
  US10/037,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087460A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A method for protecting against identity theft by monitoring a consumer'"'"'s credit information. The consumer'"'"'s initial credit information is verified. The credit information is then monitored for changes in personal information or open credit. If changes are made, the consumer is notified. Unauthorized or invalid changes are corrected. In this manner, unauthorized attempts to open credit in the consumer'"'"'s name are quickly identified and corrected, thus protecting against theft of the consumer'"'"'s identity by a third party.

Claims

1. A method for protecting against identity theft comprising:

a. obtaining initial personal information from a consumer having a credit history;

b. receiving notification of one or more changes in the consumer'"'"'s credit history; and

c. notifying the consumer of each change in the consumer'"'"'s credit history.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step a. further comprises obtaining a first report of personal and credit information about the consumer from at least one credit agency.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein step a. further comprises verifying the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency with the consumer to identify incorrect personal or credit information.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein step a. further comprises correcting incorrect personal or credit information in the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step c. further comprises verifying each change with the consumer.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein step c. further comprises correcting each change not verified by the consumer.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one credit agency is one or more agencies selected from the group consisting of Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

8. A method for protecting against identity theft comprising:

a. obtaining initial personal information from a consumer having a credit history;

b. obtaining a first report of personal and credit information about the consumer from at least one credit agency;

c. verifying the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency with the consumer to identify incorrect personal or credit information;

d. correcting incorrect personal or credit information in the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency

e. receiving notification of one or more changes in the consumer'"'"'s credit history;

f. notifying the consumer of each change in the consumer'"'"'s credit history;

g. verifying each change with the consumer; and

h. correcting each change not verified by the consumer.

9. A method for protecting against identity theft, comprising:

a. obtaining initial personal information from a consumer;

b. obtaining a first report of personal and credit information about the consumer from at least one credit agency;

c. obtaining, after a predetermined amount of time, a second report of personal and credit information about the consumer from the credit agency;

d. comparing the second report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency with the first personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency;

e. identifying discrepancies between the second report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency and the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency;

f. verifying discrepancies between the second report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency and the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency with the consumer;

g. correcting discrepancies not verified by the consumer between the second report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency with the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency; and

h. repeating steps c through g.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps

comparing the initial personal information obtained from the consumer with the first report of personal information obtained from the credit agency;

identifying discrepancies between the initial personal information obtained from the consumer and the first report of personal information obtained from the credit agency;

correcting discrepancies between the first report of personal information obtained from the credit agency and the initial personal information obtained from the consumer;

verifying the first report of credit information obtained from the credit agency with the consumer to identify incorrect credit information; and

correcting incorrect credit information in the first report of credit information obtained from the credit agency.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined amount of time is selected from the group consisting of a day, a week, a month, a quarter, six months and a year.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined amount of time is a week.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined amount of time is a month.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one credit agency is one or more agencies selected from the group consisting of Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps

comparing the initial personal and credit information obtained from the consumer with the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency;

identifying discrepancies between the initial personal and credit information obtained from the consumer and the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency; and

correcting discrepancies between the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency and the initial personal and credit information obtained from the consumer.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the predetermined amount of time is selected from the group consisting of a day, a week, a month, a quarter, six months and a year.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the predetermined amount of time is a week.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the predetermined amount of time is a month.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one credit agency is one or more agencies selected from the group consisting of Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

15. A method for protecting against identity theft, comprising:

a. obtaining initial personal and credit information from a consumer;

b. obtaining a first report of personal and credit information about the consumer from at least one credit agency;

c. obtaining, after a predetermined amount of time, a second report of personal and credit information about the consumer from the credit agency;

d. comparing the second report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency with the first personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency;

e. identifying discrepancies between the second report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency and the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency;

f. verifying discrepancies between the second report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency and the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency with the consumer;

g. correcting discrepancies not verified by the consumer between the second report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency with the first report of personal and credit information obtained from the credit agency; and

h. repeating steps c through g.