On Your Own; Your Legal Right @ Eighteen On Your Own formatted final version | Page 41

File a police report. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at identitytheft.gov. File a complaint with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. Keep copies of all papers relating to the ID theft, including any police report, and keep a record of all contacts you’ve made. Review your credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion and contact one of the three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit reports. The bottom line is: your personal information is valuable. It’s valuable to thieves, and it’s valuable to you. It’s not just a name, not just an address, not just a number. It’s money and time and trouble. And it’s yours. So protect it. That’s your right. MOTOR VEHICLES ON THE ROAD: NEW AND USED CARS, REPAIRS AND RULES OF THE ROAD Buying a Car If you don’t already have a car, you probably want one. While a new car would be nice, at today’s prices, that might be out of the question. What type of car do you want or need? What can you afford? Research your choices by reviewing reputable online resources that keep track of reliability, resale value, and maintenance cost. Compare prices between two or more dealers who sell the same type of cars. Remember, the sticker price you see on the window of the car is only the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. You don’t have to pay that much. Car dealers expect you to bargain with them. 37 37