Fraud Cleanup

Identity theft

First

  1. How to Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN

    An IP PIN blocks someone else from filing a tax return with your number. Here is who needs one and how the IRS says to request it.

  2. Got an IRS Identity Theft Letter? Here Is What to Do

    A letter from the IRS about identity theft can be your first sign of it. Follow what it says, and start here.

  3. Tax Identity Theft: What It Is and What to Do

    Someone used your information to commit tax fraud. Here are the IRS warning signs and the IRS recovery path.

  4. What the IRS Says to Do About Identity Theft

    Someone used your identity for tax fraud. Here is the IRS's own guidance: the warning signs, the phone numbers, the forms and the PIN that stops a thief from filing.

  5. Identity Fraud Examples: What Theft Looks Like

    Real identity fraud examples, from mystery credit cards to a job in your name, and the warning signs each one leaves behind.

  6. What an Initial Fraud Alert Is and How It Works

    A one-year, free alert that makes lenders check with you first. Place it with one bureau and the other two follow.

  7. How Long an Extended Fraud Alert Lasts

    Seven years, unless you take it off sooner. Here is what that term covers, what it does not, and what you control.

Then

  1. How to Place a Fraud Alert on Your Credit Report

    A fraud alert is free, and one request to one bureau reaches all three. Here is how to place one today and what happens next.

  2. Fraud Alert vs. Credit Freeze: Which One to Use

    A fraud alert makes lenders check who you are. A freeze locks your credit file shut. Here is how they differ and how to choose.

  3. Equifax Fraud Alerts: How They Work and Last

    An Equifax fraud alert is free and one request covers all three bureaus. Here is what it does, how long it lasts, and how removal works.

  4. Fraud Alerts: What They Do and How to Place One

    A fraud alert asks lenders to check that it is really you before new credit is opened. It is free, and one call covers all three bureaus.

  5. How to Place an Experian Fraud Alert on Your Credit

    An Experian fraud alert is free, lasts at least a year, and asks lenders to check that a credit application is really yours.

  6. Identity Fraud Protection You Can Set Up for Free

    Real identity fraud protection rests on free tools the law gives you. Here is what a freeze and an alert each do, and how to pick.

  7. How to Check for Identity Theft: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Something felt off, and now you want to know. Here is how to look for identity theft, where to check, and what to do if you find it.

Later

  1. When Someone Works Under Your Name and Number

    A thief can use your information to get a job. Here is how it shows up and what the IRS and SSA say to do.

  2. Minor Identity Theft: A Parent's Guide to It

    A child's clean record is a prize for thieves. Here is how to check for a credit file and what to do if one exists.

  3. Identity Theft Involving Your Social Security Number

    An identity thief may use your personal information to open a credit card account in your name. Here is how to spot it and what to do first.

  4. What to Do If Identity Theft Happens to You

    Someone used your name to open accounts or run up bills. Here is the order to work in, from freezing your credit to filing reports.

  5. What Identity Fraud Is and How to Spot It

    Someone using your name or accounts without permission is identity fraud. Here is what it is, the warning signs, and your first moves.

  6. What Identity Theft Is and How to Spot It

    A plain answer to what identity theft means, how it happens, and the signs to watch for in your own mail, statements and credit report.

  7. How Can We Prevent Identity Theft at Home

    Two free tools make new accounts in your name harder to open. Add daily habits and you have a real defense.