Quick Answer
If your identity has been stolen in the US, contact the affected companies immediately, secure your accounts, place a fraud alert and freeze each credit bureau, then get a free recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov. Keep evidence and dispute fraudulent records. These actions solve different problems: a credit freeze does not protect an account the thief already controls.
Identity theft can involve an existing bank account, a new credit application, a tax return or a medical record. Start with the harm happening now, then work through the other protections. There is no need to wait for every document before contacting a bank about unauthorised activity, and discovering the theft late does not make recovery pointless.
The steps below cover US consumer recovery. Keep your account-security work, credit-file requests and dispute records together, but do not assume that completing one automatically completes the others.
What Should You Do First to Stop Further Fraud?
Contact every company where you know theft occurred and secure the affected logins promptly. Acting quickly matters because an open fraudulent account gives the thief more time to cause damage.
Contact the Fraud Department of Each Affected Company
For every bank, credit card issuer or online account with unauthorised activity, call the fraud department rather than general customer service. Ask them to close or freeze the account so no further charges can go through without your approval, as recommended by the Federal Trade Commission.
Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with and what they agreed to do. You may need these details when disputing charges or filing your identity theft report.
Secure Your Accounts and Save Evidence
Change your passwords and PINs on every affected account, and turn on multifactor authentication wherever it is offered. Use the strongest supported method, such as a passkey or security key where offered. Also review signed-in devices, recovery contacts and email forwarding rules. An attacker who still controls a session or recovery mailbox may be able to regain access after a password change.
Before you delete or ignore anything, save copies of suspicious emails, texts and letters. You may need them as evidence when proving fraud to a bank, credit bureau or the police.
Watch for phishing attempts during this period. Scammers may pose as the FTC, a bank or a government agency and ask for personal details or payment to “secure” your accounts. The FTC has confirmed it never asks you to transfer money, withdraw cash or buy gift cards to protect your identity. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau gives the same warning. Only contact your bank or a credit bureau using the number on your card or its official website.
How Do You Protect and Check Your Credit?
Place a fraud alert and consider freezes at all three national credit bureaus, then review each credit report. The FTC recommends a fraud alert even when a freeze is already in place. An alert adds identity checks; a freeze restricts access to your credit file. Neither stops misuse of an existing account or every form of identity theft.
Use Fraud Alerts and Credit Freezes for Their Different Jobs
A fraud alert requires creditors to verify your identity before opening a new account, issuing a card or raising a credit limit. You can set one up for free by contacting a single bureau. Federal law requires that bureau to notify the other two, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
There are two main types:
- Initial fraud alert lasts one year and gives you one free credit report from each bureau. Use this if you suspect you are about to become a victim.
- Extended fraud alert lasts seven years and requires creditors to contact you directly before approving credit. You need an FTC identity theft report to qualify. It also removes your name from prescreened credit and insurance offers for five years.
A security freeze goes further than an alert. It prevents new creditors from accessing your credit file until you lift the freeze. Federal law lets you freeze and unfreeze your file for free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Unlike a fraud alert, a freeze at one bureau does not notify the others. You must contact each bureau separately.
Keep in mind that a freeze will not stop someone who already controls an existing account. It limits access to the frozen credit file, with exceptions, so continue checking existing accounts and other records separately. Employment, tenant-screening and insurance uses have different rules.
You can reach each bureau here:
| Bureau | Online | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Equifax | Equifax credit-report services | (800) 685-1111 |
| Experian | Experian Help | (888) 397-3742 |
| TransUnion | TransUnion Credit Help | (888) 909-8872 |
Check All Three Credit Reports for Unfamiliar Activity
Get your credit report from all three bureaus and check each line for accounts, inquiries or addresses you do not recognise. Federal law entitles you to a free report from each bureau every 12 months through AnnualCreditReport.com. The bureaus currently also allow free weekly checks through the same site.
Check all three reports separately because fraud may appear on one bureau’s file but not the others. Note the date, account name and amount for anything suspicious so you can refer to it when filing your identity theft report.
How Do You Report the Theft and Document Your Case?
Report the theft at IdentityTheft.gov for a free recovery plan and FTC Identity Theft Report. Consider a local police report, particularly if the thief is known, your identity was used during a crime, or a company requests one. A report documents the problem; it does not itself refund a transaction or erase a debt.
Get a Recovery Plan and Identity Theft Report from the FTC
IdentityTheft.gov is run by the Federal Trade Commission. After you describe what happened, it provides a personal recovery plan and an FTC identity theft report. The report is more than a complaint. For an identity-theft blocking request under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, provide proof of identity, a copy of the identity-theft report, identification of the fraudulent information and a statement that it does not relate to your own transaction. The four-business-day period runs from receipt of the required material, not from the day you discover the theft. The FTC-hosted FCRA text provides more details.
To report in Spanish, use RobodeIdentidad.gov. If you would rather speak with someone, call 877-438-4338. Interpreters are available from 9am to 5pm ET, according to the FTC.
Send the complete request to each bureau carrying the affected information and keep delivery evidence. Credit bureaus must notify the businesses that supplied information identified in the blocking request. The CFPB explains that, once notified, creditors cannot send those identity-theft debts to collectors. Do not use this process to remove a genuine debt or an ordinary billing error.
When Should You File a Police Report?
File a police report if someone used your identity to commit a crime in your name, a creditor requires a report to remove fraudulent debt, or you know who the thief is. Bring your FTC identity theft report, a government-issued ID, proof of your address and any evidence of the fraud to the police station.
A police report records your allegation and may help with a criminal-identity or creditor problem; it is not a conviction or a promise that the police will investigate. Follow the request appropriate to your case and ask for the report number and a copy. The CFPB recovery guide recommends reporting to both local police and IdentityTheft.gov.
How Do You Correct the Damage and Watch for More Fraud?
Correct the damage by closing fraudulent accounts, disputing incorrect information on your credit report and responding properly to debt collectors contacting you about accounts you never opened. This stage takes the longest because some disputes can take weeks while creditors investigate.
Close Fraudulent Accounts and Dispute Incorrect Credit Information
Contact each company where someone opened a fraudulent account and ask it to close the account, referring to your FTC identity theft report. Then dispute related entries directly with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Send your identity theft report, proof of identity and a letter identifying the fraudulent items.
Credit reporting companies can refuse to block information or remove a block later if the information you provided turns out to be inaccurate, or if the debt was not caused by identity theft. Use this blocking process only for debts you are certain resulted from fraud. Ordinary billing errors require a different dispute process.
Respond to Debt Collectors and Check for Bank Account Fraud
Tell any debt collector in writing that the debt resulted from identity theft, and refer to your FTC report. Do not ignore collection calls or letters because unanswered debts can still affect your credit, even when they are fraudulent.
Check your bank statements for unauthorised transactions. If an unfamiliar bank account or a denied account application is involved, ask which consumer reporting company supplied the screening information. Request your own report from that company and dispute identity-theft entries with both the reporting company and the bank. These records can be separate from the three nationwide credit reports.
What if Your Social Security Number or Tax Identity Was Misused?
If your Social Security number was used for employment or benefits, follow the relevant agency’s recovery instructions and check your earnings record for unfamiliar work. For a tax notice or rejected return, follow the IRS instructions for that exact situation. Form 14039 does not automatically invalidate a fraudulent return, and many people do not need to file it. Do not submit it again if you already filed it for the incident, including through IdentityTheft.gov. Use the current IRS form and instructions; continue filing and paying your own taxes as required.
Do not give your Social Security number to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly and claims to need it to resolve the theft. Verify any unexpected contact independently before sharing information. Never transfer money or buy gold or gift cards because a caller says this will protect your identity.
Keep Checking for New Activity Without Relying on Monitoring Alone
Credit and identity monitoring services can flag new inquiries or accounts faster than manual checks, but they do not prevent theft. They can also miss fraud outside credit files, such as medical or tax identity misuse.
Keep checking your credit reports and reviewing bank and card statements yourself. Data breaches at companies you have never contacted can still expose your information months later.
Keep Your Recovery Records and Follow Up
Keep every document related to your case in one physical or digital folder. Include your FTC identity theft report, police report, dispute letters and notes from every phone call. These records document what happened and can speed up disputes if the same fraudulent information appears again.
Record the response deadline for each request and follow up if it passes rather than assuming the matter is resolved. Credit bureaus and creditors have specific windows to investigate and respond. A paper trail can help you escalate the matter if a deadline passes without action.
Return to your IdentityTheft.gov recovery plan and update the progress you have recorded. Creating an account there allows you to track steps and obtain pre-filled letters. If new fraudulent activity appears months later, you may need to repeat parts of the process, particularly by placing a fresh fraud alert after your initial one expires.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I suspect identity theft but cannot find fraudulent accounts?
You can place an initial fraud alert or credit freezes while investigating. Review each credit report and existing account statement. If information was exposed in a breach but you have not found misuse, use IdentityTheft.gov’s data-breach guidance rather than assuming theft has occurred.
Does a data breach mean my identity has been stolen?
No. Exposure creates a risk but does not prove that someone used the information. Change affected credentials, follow the breach notice’s supported steps, and watch for misuse. Report actual identity theft when you discover it.
Do I need both a fraud alert and a credit freeze?
They serve different purposes and can be used together. A fraud alert asks creditors to verify identity; placing it through one nationwide bureau notifies the other two. A freeze restricts access to a bureau’s file, so request it separately at all three. Neither secures existing accounts.
Will the police investigate an identity theft report?
That depends on the case and local procedures. A report can still document the allegation and assist a creditor or criminal-identity problem. Keep the report number, and continue your company, credit-bureau and FTC recovery steps rather than waiting for an investigation.
Is it possible to recover fully from identity theft?
Many fraudulent records and charges can be corrected, but outcomes and timing depend on the case. Keep evidence, request written resolutions and monitor for recurrence. No service, credit freeze or report can guarantee that exposed information will never be misused again.
Sources and image credits
US guidance: FTC recovery steps; FTC identity-theft guidance; CFPB victim guidance; FCRA identity-theft blocking requirements; IRS Form 14039 and instructions.
Illustrations: Impulsec. Recovery-scope diagram: Impulsec.
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Stuart Kerr Spindlow is Impulsec’s Publisher, Chief Editor and Lead Reviewer. He writes and maintains coverage of consumer cybersecurity and digital-safety software, with a focus on practical suitability, limitations and the evidence behind product claims. Read Stuart’s full profile.