What to Do If You Are an Identity Theft Victim: Action Guide
Discovering that someone has stolen your personal details to open accounts or run up charges can be overwhelming. Taking fast, methodical action limits the damage to your finances and stops criminals from opening additional lines of credit in your name. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) guide on identity theft, following specific reporting procedures gives you clear legal protections and helps you recover your records.
1. Close Affected Accounts and Contact Your Financial Institutions
Your immediate priority is to stop unauthorized activity on any compromised accounts. Reach out to the fraud or security departments at your banks, card issuers, or lenders right away to close affected accounts.
Always connect with institutions using established telephone numbers from your statements or their official websites. Scammers regularly pretend to be representatives from financial firms, the CFPB, the Department of Justice (DOJ), or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Be aware that genuine federal agencies will never threaten you, tell you to withdraw cash, order you to buy gold, or instruct you to transfer funds to protect your money.
2. File Reports With Local Police and the FTC
To access formal protections under federal rules, you must document the crime. Report the theft online at IdentityTheft.gov. When you submit your details through the FTC site, you will receive an official Identity Theft Report alongside an organized recovery plan outlining your next steps. In addition to filing online, report the incident to your local police department to secure a police record of the incident.
3. Place Fraud Alerts on Your Credit Files
A fraud alert requires potential creditors to take reasonable steps to verify your identity before raising your credit limits, issuing replacement cards, or granting new accounts. You do not need to contact every credit bureau to place an alert; contacting any one of the three nationwide credit reporting companies requires that bureau to notify the other two.
Depending on your situation, federal guidelines provide three distinct types of alerts:
- Initial Fraud Alert: If you suspect you are or might become a victim of identity theft, place an initial fraud alert. It remains on your record for one year. You also gain access to one free credit report from each of the three nationwide bureaus, which does not count against your usual free annual copies.
- Extended Fraud Alert: If your identity has been stolen and you have submitted an Identity Theft Report at IdentityTheft.gov, you qualify for an extended alert lasting seven years. Creditors must contact you directly—in person, by telephone, or via your specified contact method—before issuing credit. This alert entitles you to two free credit reports from each bureau across a 12 month period and removes your name from prescreened credit and insurance marketing lists for five years.
- Active-Duty Alert: Available to active-duty servicemembers, this alert lasts for 12 months (or longer if your deployment extends and you submit another request) and removes your name from prescreened marketing lists for two years.
You can contact the credit bureaus directly using these details:
- Equifax: Call (800) 685-1111 or write to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA 30348-5069.
- Experian: Call (888) 397-3742 or write to Experian, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013.
- TransUnion: Call (888) 909-8872 or write to TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Department, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016.
4. Set Up a Security Freeze Across All Three Bureaus
A security freeze, commonly known as a credit freeze, locks your credit files so new lenders cannot view them until you lift the freeze. Because most businesses refuse to extend credit without checking your profile, a freeze prevents impostors from opening fresh accounts in your name. Keep in mind that a freeze does not prevent criminals from making changes to existing accounts you already hold, nor does it block access for tenant screening, employment, or insurance inquiries.
Under federal law, freezing and unfreezing your credit record is completely free. However, unlike fraud alerts, placing a freeze with one bureau does not carry over to the others. You must contact Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax individually to secure your files at each company. For a complete walkthrough of this process, review our guide on what is a credit freeze and how to set it up.
5. Block Fraudulent Debts From Your Credit Reports
You have the right to have fraudulent entries and debts completely removed from your consumer files. To trigger this rule, send the nationwide credit reporting companies your Identity Theft Report from IdentityTheft.gov, proof of your identity, and a letter explicitly identifying every fraudulent debt on your record.
Once the credit reporting companies receive your request, federal rules require them to block the fraudulent information within four business days. The reporting bureaus must also notify the companies that provided the inaccurate details. Once notified, those creditors are barred from turning identity theft-related balances over to debt collectors. If you encounter difficulties getting bureaus to update your records, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB or learn more about general reporting disputes in our guide on disputing a credit report error.
Sources
Financial guidance and regulatory rules are referenced from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: What do I do if I am a victim of identity theft?
Published November 9, 2026. No affiliate links on this page. Facts come from the sources linked above; check them for updates.