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.

Someone opened a credit card in your name. Or a bill arrived for things you never bought. The CFPB says identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information to commit fraud. It is a shock, but there is an order to work in.

USAGov says you may not know right away that you experienced identity theft.

How do you know it is really identity theft?

USAGov lists warning signs. Watch for:

Invoices for things you never ordered
Collectors phoning about debts that are not yours
Credit file entries for accounts that belong to someone else
Letters that no longer arrive, or that vanish from your box

The FTC says mistakes on your credit report might be a sign of identity theft. TransUnion says to scan your credit report for any account you never opened. TransUnion says to monitor your credit card or other account statements for purchases you didn't make.

If you want to check more closely before acting, our guide on how check for identity theft walks through it.

Step 1: Secure your credit right now

Your first move is to lock the thief out of new credit. You have two tools, and the FTC says you can use both.

TransUnion says a credit freeze, also called a security freeze, helps prevent new accounts from being opened in your name. TransUnion says freezing, unfreezing and temporarily lifting a freeze on your credit is free and won't affect your credit score. The CFPB says freezes are free and you have a right to them by law. They do not impact your credit scores in any way.

You must contact each of the three credit bureaus yourself. The CFPB says to contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion one at a time. Go to each website yourself. A freeze at one bureau does not freeze the others.

A fraud alert works differently. The FTC says an initial fraud alert tells businesses to check with you before opening a new credit account in your name. Unlike a freeze, the FTC says a fraud alert does not stop businesses from seeing your credit report. Equifax says a fraud alert can make it harder for a thief to open accounts in your name.

The FTC says anyone who is or suspects they may be affected by identity theft can place an initial fraud alert. Equifax says you only need to contact one bureau. That bureau will send your request to the other two.

The FTC says even if you already have a credit freeze in place, you can also place a fraud alert. Both are free, and Experian says an alert does not hurt your credit history or scores.

Fraud alerts do not last forever. Equifax says an initial fraud alert lasts for one year and can be renewed. Experian says you can renew alerts up to three months before they expire.

Step 2: Report it to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov

The FTC says to go to IdentityTheft.gov. Report the theft there and get a recovery plan. USAGov says you can report online or by phone.

USAGov says to use IdentityTheft.gov's list of steps to help you recover.

Our page on the FTC identity theft report covers the details of filing one.

Step 3: Contact your bank and card issuers

USAGov says to tell the fraud department at your credit card issuers, bank, and other places where you have accounts. The FTC says thieves can drain your bank account or run up charges on your credit cards. Do not skip this call.

Step 4: Review your credit reports and dispute what the thief left

Now go back through your credit reports with fresh eyes. The FTC says to check your credit report often. Identity theft can damage your credit with unpaid bills and past due accounts.

You can get extra free copies. The FTC says fraud can make your report wrong, and you can get another free copy. You can get one more if you have a fraud alert on your file.

Then attack the fraudulent items:

Block the damage. Experian says you can ask a credit bureau to block information in your file that results from identity theft. Experian says the bureau must let you know if it turns down the block or takes it away later.
Dispute the accounts. TransUnion says you can dispute fraudulent activity through its free online dispute process.
Cut it off where it starts. Experian says you can stop businesses from reporting information about you that you believe came from identity theft. You must send your request to the address the business gives and provide an identity theft report.

Experian says a business may ask for proof of your identity, a police report, and a signed statement before giving you the documents.

Step 5: File a police report when it is needed

You do not always need one, but sometimes it helps. Experian says a police report may be especially helpful if a creditor or other entity requires you to file one. It may also help if you know something that could help police investigate.

Experian says you can report identity theft to your local police department. Experian also says state law may give you extra rights. You can ask your local consumer protection agency or state Attorney General.

What to keep watching after these steps

The work is not done the day the reports are filed. Keep watching.

Statements. USAGov says to read your credit card and bank statements. Look for any transaction that is not yours.
Credit reports. The FTC says to keep checking what is in your credit report. Experian says extra disclosures may help you spot signs of fraud, like accounts opened in your name.
Fraud alerts. Equifax says an initial alert lasts one year. Put a reminder to renew it before it expires.

Experian says identity theft victims are entitled to an extended fraud alert lasting 7 years. TransUnion says an extended alert requires proof that you are a victim of identity theft.

For the full picture, start with our identity theft guide. Once the cleanup is done, see our page on how can we prevent identity theft.