Realizing you\u2019ve lost or misplaced your crucial pieces of identification – a wallet, your driver\u2019s license, your credit cards or your SSN card – can be a real heart-stopping moment. It\u2019s even worse if you\u2019re pretty sure it was stolen because then you can confidently assume it\u2019s in the hands of criminals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a lot a scammer can do once they\u2019ve got your driver\u2019s license, and none of it is good. One way to proactively protect yourself against that threat is to reach out to your state\u2019s DMV and have them change your driver\u2019s license number. We\u2019ll explain why you should act quickly and how the process works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For identity thieves, getting their hands on your driver\u2019s license is a home run. It\u2019s right up there with stealing your SSN or a complete set of your usernames and passwords because a driver\u2019s license is one of the fundamental pieces of ID that\u2019s used to validate everything else, from passports to a new cellular account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the details of your license, a scammer can easily look up enough additional information through criminal sources (the identity-theft marketplaces of the Dark Web<\/a>) to impersonate you effectively. They might also create copies of your license with someone else\u2019s name and photo to establish what\u2019s called a synthetic<\/em> identity<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n IS YOUR DRIVER\u2019S LICENSE NUMBER ON THE DARK WEB? FIND OUT WITH SPOKEO PROTECT!\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a worst-case scenario, criminals might use your driver\u2019s license and identity in their interactions with the police for something as (relatively) innocuous as a traffic violation or as serious as a felony arrest. Once they\u2019ve driven away or been released on bail, they can simply change their identity and disappear. You\u2019re left holding the bag, which can make for an, unfortunately (ahem) \u201cinteresting\u201d relationship with local law enforcement<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The details of how you go about ordering a new driver\u2019s license and having the number changed will vary depending which state you live in. If you don\u2019t have your state\u2019s DMV bookmarked, you can find a complete list of links<\/a> at the federal USA.gov website. Look up your own state, click through to your DMV\u2019s website, and then follow the on-site navigation to learn the process you\u2019ll need to follow to have your license replaced (you can also call and ask if you prefer). In most cases, you\u2019ll find two separate procedures, one for the simple replacement of a lost license – a straight-up replacement with the same number – and a more stringent one if your license has been stolen and you need the number changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Colorado<\/a>, for example, you\u2019ll need to file a police report with your local law enforcement agency, download and complete an Affidavit of Identity Theft<\/a> form, have your signature on the form notarized, and then bring those forms in-person to your nearest DMV office. Once you\u2019ve taken those steps to place the identity theft on record and validate your identity, the state will issue you a replacement license with a new number and cancel the old one.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The exact process will vary in other states but should follow a broadly similar pattern. Some will actively flag your old number as invalid, while others (including Colorado) rely on different security measures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, having your license replaced doesn\u2019t let you start over with a clean slate: you may still have some repercussions to sort out. If a criminal gave your name to law enforcement in the commission of a crime, for example, your name is still \u201cin the system\u201d and can resurface unpredictably. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike the credit reporting system, there\u2019s no centralized database that\u2019s utilized by all police forces. It\u2019s not that data isn\u2019t shared between law enforcement agencies – it is – but that\u2019s not universal, and you can\u2019t simply have the fraudulent use of your name expunged across the board. All you can do is make sure that you report the identity theft to your local law enforcement agency and then provide copies of that report to any other police force you\u2019re likely to encounter on a regular basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bear in mind, too, that licenses are used as ID in all kinds of situations, many of which don\u2019t involve electronic verification. The identity thief could still use your old license to sign (and break) a lease, cash a bad check, or engage in many, many other activities that could cause you problems in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news is that you can take several proactive steps to make sure identity theft causes as little disruption as possible in your life. An excellent first step in any identity theft scenario is filing a report at the FTC\u2019s IdentityTheft.gov<\/a> website. The site will help you create a personalized recovery plan, essentially a checklist of all you should do in your specific case<\/em> to protect yourself.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most of those steps revolve around the credit reporting agencies. You\u2019ll need to inform the \u201cBig Three\u201d that you\u2019ve been the victim of identity theft and place a fraud alert as a starting point. Then you should request copies of your credit report from all of them and scrutinize them closely for illicit activity. It may also be helpful to request a credit freeze<\/a> to make it even harder for identity thieves to exploit your credit.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arguably the most proactive step you can take is signing up for Spokeo Protect<\/a>, our identity protection service. We\u2019ll monitor key pieces of your personal information – your driver\u2019s license, your SSN, you choose – and if they show up for sale on the Dark Web, we\u2019ll let you know.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Being forewarned is being forearmed, and knowing that your information has hit the market (and will likely soon be actively exploited) gives you the heads-up you need to be extra vigilant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sources<\/p>\n\n\n\n WFMY News 2: Identity Theft: Stolen Driver\u2019s License<\/a> <\/a>Becomes a Nightmare for Triad Woman<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n USA Gov: Renew Your Driver\u2019s License and Other Motor Vehicle Services<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles: Lost or Stolen Identification Card or Driver Licenses<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles: Affidavit of Colorado Driver\u2019s License or ID Theft<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nChange a Driver\u2019s License Number<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Limits of Replacing Your License<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Limiting the Impact of Identity Theft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n