Consumer Alert
Want to know who stole your identity? Getting your records can help
Let’s say you learn that an identity thief took out credit in your name, pretending to be you. To straighten it out, you might want to get records about the identity theft from the company where it happened. The law gives you that right — in fact, it’s Section 609(e) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Having details about the theft and the thief may help you show, for example, that the thief borrowed money, not you. It also may help you or law enforcement identify the thief. You or law enforcement might need, for example, the identity thief’s bank account number or their contact information to document the crime or clear your name.
To get information related to your identity theft, send your request in writing to the company where the fraud took place. They have 30 days to give you those records, free of charge. Along with your request, send these three things:
- Proof of your identity, like a copy of your driver’s license or other valid form of identification
- A completed FTC Identity Theft Report from IdentityTheft.gov.
- A police report about the identity theft from your local police department. When you file the police report, bring your ID, the FTC Identity Theft Report, and any information you have about the incident with you.
IdentityTheft.gov has more resources to help you recover from identity theft, including a sample letter to use as you take steps to fix problems the theft may have caused. If you have problems getting the records from banks and lenders, let the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) know.
If you own a business, read Businesses Must Provide Victims and Law Enforcement with Transaction Records Relating to Identity Theft for more information about complying with the law.
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In reply to This page should be in a… by Katherine Carleton
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Hear Hear!
I don't know how to do this my credit dropped 11 points I don't know why then I checked credit wise it shows it is in the dark Wed I didn't know what it is and I asked how I could get it out and stop it from being used
ITs really a good feeling to know there are resources to help if this happens. I was unfortunate enough to be part of the Experian hack and its very nerve racking.
Hopefully when someone forgets which agency to contact that you will be available to direct us to the right place.
I have been getting emails saying I purchased something and if I wish to cancel call a number I refuse to call because I know what I purchase one was from geek squad and the other on was from pay pal which I don't have
In reply to I have been getting emails… by Jennifer Brooks
I get the same kind of emails. But what start to do is I don’t answer and I block the sender from sending anymore emails to me.
Or if is on a text I block the number.
Do you also have resources to help the ivictim of equity theft?
All great information to know! Thank you for getting it out online. We are never too old to learn something new!
P.S. Beware of cleaning people who are practicing your signature! It happens! Keep your personal records and checkbook hidden. Make certain all numbered checks are intact.
Are the adults in household responsible for identity theft as well?
What a joke...CA Senator D. Feinstein set this system up in favor of the Banks so don't believe your lying government! The CFPB and OCC after several repeated complaints has no law enforcement authority to require Citibank, Discover, Bank of America, Citizens, Chase and Capitol One to provide information to the ID Theft Victim who has followed all the FTC Rules regardinng ID Theft, reporting the crime to law enforcement, the IRS and CA State Attorney General. After repeated letters, authorizations to release information directly to law enforcement and to the IRS. As these banks sit back and laugh as they are "to big to fail" whereas always refusing to acknowledge the crime in writing, the law enforcement agency or every recieving the FTC ID Theft Report.
The Victim's CA Constitutional Rights are ignored. Without the banks releasing their information to law enforcement the District Attorney cannot proscute. As it stands to reason that less than 5% NATIONWIDE of ID Theft cases are ever prosecuted. The ID Theft Victim cannot file a Civil Tort against the perpetrator as not having the evidence needed based on the lessor perponderance of the evidence to prove their case. The banks are violating CA criminal law, PC 32 Accessory to a crime by actively witholding evidence in the investigation of a crime and no government agency cares. The violation for not providing information to the Victim is $2,000 dollars. I would like to see 30,000 thousand dollars as a penalty for each month exceeding thirty days in which Banks are required to provide voice prints, ID addresses, cell phone numbers as identifers of the initial applicant of the credit card.
If you don't belive me of what I am saying...contact your credit card company and ask for your copy of original credit card application. You will find that all of these Banks mention will refuse and give excuses as not having any written contract or electronic signature as their policy will not allow such information to be shared. The Banks rely on the open book account laws to protect them and their finiancial interest including selling off the debt and then reselling it again and again.
In reply to What a joke...CA Senator D… by Edwin Hansen
You are exactly right unfortunately. I’ve spent countless hours since February trying to get evidence and documentation. Little to nothing to show for my relentless efforts. Excuses is what I’ve vested my time towards meanwhile the person that stole my identity (which I know who) is setting back like a fat cat living on easy street with my life’s savings and everything else I own
Dear ftc.gov owner, Your posts are always well-delivered and engaging.
I reported identity theft and we got the guy but he stole all my data I know where it is the virzon cloud and Google one cloud...I'm trying to get my life back I wanna exsist in the real world I have a new phone provider and Gmail account that hast been hacked..
In reply to I reported identity theft… by Nikki kindelberger
You ate lucky you have a new start. The guy who stole my Identity seems to be using my certificates to earn a job and his/she is purposed to make sure I do not get a job. What can I do in this case
How do I know who was using my ssn
I believe my identity was stolen by Jessica Holland,Jessica Pickens, and her boyfriend. I was her husband but she ghosted me in April, 2022. I think they bought a car with my credit.
What if the identity theft was years ago and you don’t know what company’s it was done through, you only know the person? I haven’t spoken with my biological mother in over 10 years and I’m 26 now, but my credit is ridiculously low and my dad told me she took out credit cards and loans in my name when I was a baby and I don’t know how to even find any of the information that I’d need for proof. I have no idea what banks or lenders she went through and I don’t know how to find them. I just know she screwed up my credit.
In reply to What if the identity theft… by Sav
The federal government website www.IdentityTheft.gov tells what to do if your identity was stolen. Go to www.IdentityTheft.gov/#/Steps to see steps to take.
The site says to put a fraud alert on your credit reports and then get your credit reports from the three national credit agencies. Check your credit reports to see if there are accounts you didn't open, or other mistakes on the report. Contact the credit reporting agencies to fix mistakes.
Person who stole my identity after my soon to be ex husband lied and said he burnt my birth certificate and my power of attorney land document once I find out who it is I'll see you in court
i would like to say that this female name emaily gonzalez stole my phone, my life!!!! and my name
I ask a friends kid to help me log in to my accounts ! Know there all under there control
I was informed that there are a few people using my social security number for illegal purposes. How do I prove this?
alias: anyways i am a survivor of human trafficking escaped. i finally got my ssi and able to control my own money again. ssa wouldnt direct deposit my check due to the identity theft and fraud so they mailed them. i tried to get a bank account to have them deposited and it took the bank after getting brand new copies of my birth certificate a brand-new identification card and new social security card thank goodness i kept the receipts of them all because they almost turned me away. instead, i presented them with those and told them my situation. it took them 2 days and 8 hours in person to finally get an account in my name once passing the approval of documents and apologized too and told they didnt want to lose their jobs by giving me an account without doing an investigation, i was also told that my entire identity had been stolen, my entire name, my birthday, and social security number in their data base so my account is on high security. with that said i pulled my credit reports ive personally used my credit once to purchase and finance a travel trailer for 15 months until becoming owner my score was 702 then- my score is now in the low 500s and Equifax wont let me pull their report at all without providing i.d and a written letter mailed but the other two shows account within the years i was trapped within the trafficking that i never used and debts and accounts loans and utilities never been paid.. along with hospital debt i never used. upon my escape i was presented with an eviction notice from the trafficker themselves saying i never paid them rent and they were my landlord to make it impossible for me to find housing and to turn the tables legally and take the eye off the real situation at hand. also noticed if i get any cell phone in my name from a company metro, boost ect.. its never longer than two weeks of my phone being untouched by anyone but me yet presenting signs of being hacked or cloned, and either fraud calls about my taxes needing to be investigated or when i would make calls to banks, social security, medical insurance companies ect the calls would get intercepted and it would be scammers stealing my information and providing me false information and fake appointments that i wouldnt find out about until i would find away to go up there and get the news myself that them calls never took place. so ive ended up having to use Tracfone's due to amount of fraud occuring several times monthly. my bank accounts would even get compromised and drained by money transfers doing to accounts i never opened yet they were in my name with all the correct information to assume it was me transfering my money into another account i was even asked by my bank maybe i did it and forgot about it, um no!
needless to say... What kind of steps would i need to take in the right direction to be able to not be tracked by these criminals no matter what i do or no matter how many times i try to start over it never seems to fail they find and steal and ruin my life entirely every few months.
im on the verge of just seeing about an entire name change, i already paid for a state and national finger print based background check to i can then file the name change and hopefully ill get granted. then after that i was going to file for a completely new social security card number due to the ongoing theft fraud and tracking.
In tired of running and never feeling safe, scared knowing they can locate me under my name and social on anything and gain access to anything old and anything new i open or have had.. would you say this would be the right thing to go forward with then work on my credit after because i also read that even with name and social change the credit report still links over to the new information and still needs to be repaired resolved or disputed and removed?
Any advice helps on my journey to being able to have my life back..
I know my sister falsified my medical and criminal records. How do I find these false records to prove my case?
I filled out 2 of those identity theft reports to the F.T.C. and i still havent heard anything from them and i did file a police report.
I’d like to know who I can report a problem to when I know who is responsible and has complete control of my phone my email and everything about me. But I can’t find anyone that believes me or is willing to look into it or do anything about it not police or FTC nor LifeLock because he changed all the info on that account I could not even access it anymore. My life is over he has accessed every pay card or bank account . Desperate for help
No records have been furnished
This has been going on for too long some people hacking they've been hijacking my phone for over 8 years maybe longer I don't know some black guy named James Shaw or others in my building that knowing I need you to find out and I don't know how much this would cost I'm not sure if I can afford it I'm on SSI and I need some help to find out who stole my identity they've been ordering up the spectrum internet them ordering TV sets they've been ordering vehicles they've been ordering vacation trips clothes makeup etc and I don't receive the the bill so I don't know who is doing it but they just now caught them ordering spectrum to my house
I’m still going through identity theft
I'm a victim of ID theft for the 2nd time in a row!Wisely Pay gave me a new card I never used after I told them I was a victim of ID theft the 1st time and I got victimized Again. I don't want another Wisely Pay card because I deserve a check so that I never get victimized again.
You have concentrated on financial identity theft. What about documents being used e.g. certificates and this person frustrates your efforts of being employed.
Where shall I get help to know who is behind it
In reply to You have concentrated on… by Janet
When you report identity theft to www.IdentityTheft.gov, you can report that someone is using your information to get a job. You add details about what happened, and make an Identity Theft Report. Your Identity Theft Report is a report to law enforcement, and it helps prove to businesses that someone stole your identity and makes it easier to correct problems caused by the theft.
Get started at www.IdentityTheft.gov.
This question is for any FTC staff who monitor these comments. As my screen name implies, this isn't the first hack I've suffered, and they all have been severe. Over a five-year period, I've had a total of five (yes, as in 5!) Gmail accounts, two LinkedIn accounts, a gaming, a Microsoft account, a Samsung phone account and social media accounts hacked. I have done all of the recommended steps, EXCEPT I can't get local law enforcement to issue a police report. I can't recover my accounts until that happens. I'm going to have to spend thousands on attorneys to get this mess cleared up. My questions are as follows; 1) are there any government agencies that (instead of simply receiving a complaint and filing it away) will take action to assist those who are dealing with this type of theft? 2) to your knowledge is hiring an attorney to litigate my way out of this the only recourse I have? 3) should I expect any response from the FTC (or the FBI's IC3 team) about next steps, or is that just wishful thinking?
I surely know how to prevent it in the future - going back to a flip phone, ONLY storing online passwords on a ledger on my bookshelf, and never, ever linking any accounts that aren't absolutely necessary for them to work.
Anyway, I will check back to see if this gets a response, thank you.
In reply to This question is for any FTC… by DejaVU
Report identity theft to the federal government and get a recovery plan at www.IdentityTheft.gov. When you report, give details of what happened. The details are used to make your recovery plan. And, you will create an Identity Theft Report, which is a report to law enforcement. Your Identity Theft Report proves to businesses that someone stole your identity, and guarantees you certain rights.
Go to www.IdentityTheft.gov to start your report. Read more about steps to take to deal with identity theft at www.identitytheft.gov/Steps.
My email has sent out hundreds of bogus emails from malicious or unsupported by HTTPS://. I have two cars on my credit reports I've never owned, and numerous credit cards I don't recall.
I got an anonymous call telling me that someone used my maiden name to get married and embezzled my inheritance.
What do I do??