Are you an identity theft victim?

My entire family is a victim of identity theft.

Our personal information - birth dates, full names, social security numbers, home address, phone numbers, salary information, etc. - is out there, floating on the net for anyone to grab.

First, the hackers obtained our information through our job payroll services. Then with this info, they obtained a copy of our latest tax return (our own IRS conveniently provided this to the hackers). IRS “informed” us about the situation with a “hinting” letter. The letter was worded in such an evasive manner that probably most people would dismiss it and throw it in the garbage. Well, my husband paid attention to it.
 
After we talked to IRS on the phone a few times, the story unraveled. We found out that the frauds have already filed a tax return on our names. We had to go through hoops and loops to prove who we were ... to IRS. So then, we were able to file our own tax return in paper format.
 
We also did all the time-consuming steps to protect ourselves further (e.g., filing our status on numerous websites, going to the local police station several times to file reports, creating and then renewing our FTC identity theft accounts on a regular basis, talking to the credit report companies...). However, now, more than a year later, we are still discovering the new ways through which the hackers and their customers rob us from our identity, and are still a threat.
 
Despite the fact that we have a protection service from Experian (ProtectMyID), we are still a target. Experian protects only our credit.  However, within the past 10 months, we discovered (by chance) that the frauds have opened one bank account (on my husband’s name), two prep-paid cards (on my name), and two FSA ID accounts for federal student loans (on my husband’s and my name). Who knows what other horrors are out there, and they are all initiated with our personal information.
 
The discoveries listed above were accidental. It was only after receiving an innocuous piece of mail from the bank/financial institutions that we became aware of accounts with these institutions. It was also by chance that we decided to be pro-active and in advance create our FSA IDs in anticipation of our child going to college one day. 

From the moment the hackers obtained our information, we were charged with the burden of proving our identity non-stop. Not the frauds, we need to prove who we are. Non-stop, every day.
 
The worst part is that my child’s information is out there and she has to spend her entire life looking for the next blow on her identity, finances, integrity. 

Are you a victim of identity theft? How do you cope?