Pretest through phone interviews

OMB No. 3084-NEW
Expires: TBD

DRAFT

Identity Theft Victim Survey
(Pretest Version)

Disclosure of Estimated Burden
The estimated average burden associated with this information collection is 30 minutes per respondent. Burden
estimates include the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data in the required form, and
completing the information collection, but exclude the time for compiling and maintaining business records in the
normal course of a respondent’s activities. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and an organization (or a
person) is not required to respond to a collection of information, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control
number. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden estimate and suggestions for reducing this burden should
be directed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington,
D.C. 20503, and to Anthony Rodriguez, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Mail Stop
NJ-2122, Washington, D.C. 20580.

OMB No. 3084-NEW
Expires: TBD

FTC Identity Theft Victim Survey
This survey includes questions relating to your experience as a victim of identity theft and your
interactions with one or more credit bureaus. Please respond as accurately and completely as
possible.
Section 1: Initial Contact with One or More Credit Bureaus
1.

Did you try to contact one or more credit reporting companies (also known as credit bureaus)
such as Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion as a result of discovering you were a victim of identity
theft? (Check one answer)
____
____
____

Yes
No (Skip to last page - Closing)
Don’t remember or not sure (Skip to last page - Closing)

Approximately when did you first contact one or more credit bureau(s)?
____
____
____
____
2.

How many credit bureaus did you contact? (Check one answer)
____
____
____
____

3.

One
Two
Three or more
Don’t remember or not sure

How did you contact the credit bureau(s)? Was it by: (Check as many as apply)
____
____
____
____
____

4.

Less than one month ago
1-6 month(s) ago
6-12 months ago
More than 1 year ago

Phone
Writing
Online
Other (Please explain) ________________________________
Don’t remember or not sure

Why did you contact the credit bureau(s)? Was it to: (Check as many as apply)
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____

Place a fraud alert on your credit report
Dispute inaccurate information in your credit report
Block fraudulent information in your credit report
Get a copy of your credit report
Get your credit score
Get information
Other (Please explain) __________________________________
Don’t remember or not sure

5.

Did you try to speak with a live person at one or more credit bureaus? (Check one answer)
____
____
____

6.

Were you able to speak with a live person? (Check one answer)
____
____
____

7.

Very useful
Somewhat useful
Only slightly useful
Not at all useful
Don’t remember or not sure

Credit bureaus must give you a notice that summarizes your rights as a victim of identity theft.
Did you receive such a “notice of rights” from the credit bureau(s) you contacted? (Check one
answer)
____
____
____
____

10.

Very easy
Somewhat easy
Somewhat difficult
Very difficult
Don’t remember or not sure

Overall, how useful was the information you received when you spoke to a live person? Would
you say that it was: (Check one answer)
____
____
____
____
____

9.

Yes
No (Skip to question # 9)
Don’t remember or not sure (Skip to question # 9)

In general, how easy or difficult was it to get to a live person? Would you say that it was: (Check
one answer)
____
____
____
____
____

8.

Yes
No (Skip to question # 9)
Don’t remember or not sure (Skip to question # 9)

I received a “notice of rights” from all of the credit bureaus I contacted
I received a “notice of rights” from some of the credit bureaus I contacted
I did not receive a “notice of rights” from any of the credit bureaus I contacted
I don’t remember or not sure

Thinking only of your initial contact with the credit bureau(s), how satisfied were you with
your experience with the credit bureau(s) after discovering that you were a victim of identity
theft? Would you say that you were: (Check one answer)
____

Very satisfied

____
____
____
____

Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Don’t know or not sure

Again, thinking of your initial contact with the credit bureau(s), please tell us why you felt
satisfied or dissatisfied with your experience with the credit bureau(s):
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Section 2: Fraud Alerts
11.

A fraud alert requires creditors to follow certain procedures to verify your identity before issuing
credit in your name.
Before you contacted a credit bureau, were you aware that you had a right to request a fraud
alert if you believed that you were, or were likely to become, a victim of identity theft? (Check
one answer)
____
____
____

12.

Did you ask one or more credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report? (Check one
answer)
____
____
____

13.

Yes
No (skip to question # 21)
Don’t remember or not sure (skip to question # 21)

Did you ask for a temporary (90 day) fraud alert, a permanent (7 year) fraud alert, or
both? (Check one answer)
____
____
____
____

14.

Yes
No
Don’t remember or not sure

Initial alert only
Extended alert only
Both Initial and Extended alerts
Don’t remember or not sure

To the best of your knowledge, was a fraud alert actually placed on your credit report? (Check
one answer)
____
____
____

All of the bureaus placed a fraud alert
Some of the bureaus placed a fraud alert, others did not
Some of the bureaus placed a fraud alert, I don’t know about others

____
15.

Don’t remember or not sure

Overall, how satisfied were you with the experience of placing a fraud alert on your credit
report? Would you say that you were: (Check one answer)
____
____
____
____
____

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Don’t know or not sure

Please tell us why you felt satisfied or dissatisfied with the experience of placing a fraud alert:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Section 3: Free Credit Reports
16.

As a victim of identity theft or fraud you have the right to a free credit report from each of the
credit bureaus when you place a fraud alert on your credit report.
Before you contacted a credit bureau, were you aware that you had this right to request a free
credit report when you place a fraud alert on your credit report? (Check one answer)
____
____
____

17.

Did you request a free copy of your credit report from one or more credit bureaus after you
placed a fraud alert?
____
____
____

18.

Yes
No (skip to question # 21)
Don’t remember or not sure (skip to question # 21)

How did you ask for a free copy of your credit report from the credit bureau(s)? Did you:
(Check as many as apply)
____
____
____
____
____
____

19.

Yes
No
Don’t remember or not sure

Cal
Write
Mail a form
Go to the website
(If you recall, please identify website) ____________________
Do something else (please explain) ______________________
Don’t remember or not sure

Did you receive a free copy of your credit report from the credit bureau(s)?
____

I received a free copy of my credit report from all of the
bureaus I contacted

____
____
____
20.

I received a free copy of my credit report from some of
the bureaus I contacted
I did not receive a copy of my credit report from any of the bureaus I contacted
don’t remember or not sure

Overall, how satisfied were you with your experience in getting your free credit report
from the credit bureau(s)? Would you say that you were: (Check one answer)
____
____
____
____
____

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Don’t know or not sure

Please tell us why you felt satisfied or dissatisfied with your experience in getting a free credit
report:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Section 4: Dispute Process
21.

You have the right to dispute the accuracy of information in your credit report that you believe is
inaccurate. If the information is, in fact, inaccurate, you have the right to have it corrected or
removed.
Before you contacted a credit bureau(s), were you aware that you had this right to dispute the
accuracy of information in your credit report? (Check one answer)
____
____
____

22.

Did you dispute the accuracy of any identity theft related information in your credit report?
(Check one answer)
____
____
____

23.

Yes
No (skip to question # 28)
Don’t remember or not sure (skip to question # 28)

With whom did you file your dispute? Was it: (Check as many as apply)
____
____
____
____

24.

Yes
No
Don’t remember or not sure

One of the credit bureaus (Trans Union, Equifax, or Experian)
The company that appeared on your credit report with the account or information you
were disputing
Other (please explain) ________________________________
Don’t remember or not sure

What information in your credit report did you dispute? Was it: (Check all that apply)
____

Identification and employment information (name, address, employer, etc.)

____
____
____
____
25.

Was the information you disputed removed or corrected? (Check one answer)
____
____
____

26.

Yes
No (skip to question # 28)
Don’t remember or not sure (skip to question # 28)

If you contacted the credit bureau(s) to file your dispute, how many times did you contact the
credit bureau(s) before the information you disputed was removed or corrected? (Check one
answer)
____
____
____
____
____

27.

Payment information related to a particular debt (account, amount owed, etc.)
Creditors you did not authorize to obtain your report
Other (please elaborate) ________________________________
Don’t remember or not sure

Once
More than once but less than three times
Three times or more but less than six times
Six times or more
Don’t remember or not sure

Overall, how satisfied were you with your experience in disputing information in your credit
report? Would you say that you were: (Check one answer)
____
____
____
____
____

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Don’t know or not sure

Please tell us why you felt satisfied or dissatisfied with your experience in disputing information
in your credit report:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Section 5: Blocking the Release of Information
28.

You have the right to block fraudulent information in your credit reports that is the result of
identity theft from being released to others. This right is separate from your right to dispute
inaccurate information in your credit report.
Before you contacted a credit bureau(s), were you aware that you had this right to block
fraudulent information from being disclosed to others? (Check one answer)
____
____
____

Yes
No
Don’t remember or not sure

29.

Did you ask one or more credit bureaus to block fraudulent identity theft related information in
your credit report from being disclosed? (Check one answer)
____
____
____

30.

To the best of your knowledge, did the bureaus you asked actually block fraudulent identity theft
related information in your credit report? (Check one answer)
____
____
____
____

31.

All of the bureaus blocked the information
Only some of the bureaus blocked the information
None of the bureaus blocked the information (skip to question # 32)
Don’t remember or not sure (skip to question # 32)

How long did it typically take the credit bureaus to block information in your credit report?
Did it take them: (Check one answer)
____
____
____
____

32.

Yes
No (skip to question # 33)
Don’t remember or not sure (skip to question # 33)

One day (24 hours)
2 - 7 days
More than 7 days
Don’t remember or not sure

Overall, how satisfied were you with your experience in blocking fraudulent information in your
credit report? Would you say that you were: (Check one answer)
____
____
____
____
____

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Don’t know or not sure

Please tell us why you felt satisfied or dissatisfied with your experience in blocking information
in your credit report:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Section 6: Closing
33.

Feel free to include additional comments below:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
PLEASE RETURN IN ENCLOSED SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR HELP.

PRETEST QUESTIONNAIRE
1.

How difficult was it for you to complete this survey?
Not difficult at all
Somewhat difficult
Very difficult
Impossible, I was not able to complete this survey.
Please explain the answer you selected for question 1:

2.

Were any of the questions difficult to understand or answer? If so, please tell us which
questions you found difficult and why.

3.

Were there any terms or phrases used in this survey that you had difficulty
understanding? If so, please explain below.

4.

Are there aspects of your experiences with the CRAs that were not covered by this
survey that you feel that the FTC should know about? If so, please describe them below.

5.

Please provide any other comments you have about this study.

6.

May we call you and ask you questions about your experience completing this survey?
Yes
No