Consumer Alert
How to recover from identity theft
We get it. You hoped the day would never come when you learned someone used your personal information to open new credit accounts in your name. But it did. So now what? Act fast. It can help reduce the damage identity theft can cause. Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Call the companies where you know fraud occurred.
- Call the fraud department. Explain that someone stole your identity.
- Ask them to close or freeze the accounts. Then, no one can add new charges unless you agree.
- Change logins, passwords, and PINs for your accounts.
Step 2: Place a fraud alert and get your credit reports — even if you already have a credit freeze in place. (If you haven’t frozen your credit, do that, too.) When you have a fraud alert on your credit report, a business has to verify your identity before it opens a new credit account in your name. A fraud alert lasts one year, but you can renew it.
- Place a free, one-year fraud alert by contacting one of the three credit bureaus. That company must tell the other two.
888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)
888-909-8872
Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
800-685-1111
- To get your report, call Annual Credit Report at 877-322-8228, or go to AnnualCreditReport.com. Federal law gives you the right to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus. The three bureaus also let you check your credit report once a week for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Review your reports. Looks for accounts or transactions you don’t recognize.
Step 3: Report identity theft to the FTC. You’ll get a free personal recovery plan with next steps.
- To report in English, go to IdentityTheft.gov
- To report in Spanish, go to RobodeIdentidad.gov
- If you’re more comfortable reporting in another language, call 877-438-4338 and press 3 to report in your preferred language. Interpreters are available from 9:00am – 5:00pm ET.
Identify theft is much more than credit. This advice pulls people into believing they can fix it themselves. Once stolen it’s out there for further abuse.
In reply to Identify theft is much more… by Carolyn
If someone stole your identity, follow the steps in this Consumer Alert.
When you Report identity theft to the FTC at www.IdentityTheft.gov and give details about what happened to you, the system creates a personalized plan to help you repair problems caused by the theft - and it covers all kinds of problems.
Identity theft can affect more than credit. IdentityTheft.gov gives advice about dealing with debt collectors, government ID, utilities, student loans, medical identity theft, and many other issues.
Learn the steps to take if identity theft happens at https://www.identitytheft.gov/Steps.
In reply to If someone stole your… by FTC Staff
A local police officer recommended using cash (not credit or debit cards).
Carry only a small amount of cash with you.
Stay off the internet concerning purchases.
Visit the websites to find what you need and then purchase at a local business.
BUY LOCAL.
SAVE YOURSELF THE GRIEF OF HAVING TO USE A BANDAID TO REPAIR YOUR CREDIT PROBLEMS.
USING THE INTERNET IS LIKE SITTING ON A TREE BRANCH, AND THEN SOMEONE CUTS THE BRANCH.
In reply to If someone stole your… by FTC Staff
Not true. It takes you to a page that says everything the article says and that’s it. I tried to file a report. I wasn’t able to.
In reply to Identify theft is much more… by Carolyn
I agree!! We've been fighting this fraud in so many ways! And its very stressful! We were told to file a report with IC3.gov and then its reported to the FBI and Federal Trade Commission. Our bank is working with us and new accounts developed. Credit cards and everything else that can be locked/frozen is.
In reply to Identify theft is much more… by Carolyn
Identity victims with an a protected class more specifically, disabled victims, need priority and acknowledged for the destruction and unbelievable undue hardship that comes with identity theft, and the process, and overwhelming barriers to recovering seem to be pushed to the back of the line. Even victims who are rightfully granted, settlements for damages in FTC judgments (e.g FTC vs. Equifax) no assistance from administrators or class action lawsuit settlement staff. Very disheartening and very sad. And why aren’t these people going to prison instead of monetary consequences? The bottom one percent is being neutralized.
Thank you for taking the time to create the website and maintaining it. It helps the average person to explain what, how to and other very important information. Thanks Again
Great information!! Thank you!
This is a well thought out service by the federal government employees.
I also notice on my cellphone the READ MORE is in small text size. Can you increase the text size and place READ MORE at the top of the page?
Thanks,
Gary
IdentityTheft.gov is a great resource, but some companies don't believe the victim! Sadly, they wrongly assume that the victim is trying to get out of paying for the fraudulent credit card.
It's a tough battle, but at least IdentityTheft.gov gives you an Action Plan to follow...and HOPE!
In reply to IdentityTheft.gov is a great… by Wanda
The FTC website kept me from panicking. Identity theft is just a fact of life now.
In reply to IdentityTheft.gov is a great… by Wanda
Not true
I was ID theft in 2020, FTC, FCC, I R S, F B I, were very helpful, I wouldn't be here if not for them, starting with FTC.
It was so horrid I had a heart attack & TMI, took a year to recover.
My reports are in the blogs. Made the mistake going class actions,
Gave all the information for them to make millions, my check $54
Dollars. Do all FTC says, I did it to my best, take it one step with focus at a time. It's common for breaches now ,I've had almost a dozen, first one 9 dark webs, credit 300, it can be devastating, life goes on,
Protect yourselves. God Bless all the teams that put tons of hours I to help us. R.
Thank you. I've forwarded many of your articles on to my friends and relatives. My ID was stolen before there even was a dark web and now thanks to all the data breeches my entire identity is for sale. I've contacted my Representative in Congress to take this problem more seriously and I will continue to do so. Companies must be held accountable because the only one that gains from all this are the lawyers.
Thank you very much.
This method only works with private companies. However, with a place like the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the state of Georgia Department of Labor, and Georgia IRS everything seems to be online and there is no one to talk too. If you do get someone on a government line, the phone mysteriously hangs up and if you try to call again no one will pick up the phone to answer it. How Pitiful that taxpayers who get ripped off have to suffer like this. It took me almost 1 year of filing identity theft paperwork with multiple agencies and with the state of Louisiana and the state of Georgia against Identity theft and getting nowhere I had to reach out to Raphael Warnock's office to get the IRS in Georgia to Respond to assist me with the request. Strange although I was still working at a state-wide institution, the Georgia Department of Labor still gave a "crook" access to draw my $12,615 .+ of my unemployment. I could not draw it event if my family needed it.
7 year freeze is better for your protection. Review with all of credit companies. Go to the Web and learn all of your options.
Palm Beach County has a department to help with Fraud.
Go to your bank and learn about the many options that are available to you to protect yourself
This is a great information to learn…
I will keep this article for resource good to have information is ready.
Thank you for educating us.
Fraud alerts should last more than a year. They should last until the person stops them. Having to renew them adds to the "to do" list that folks don't have time to do or keep track of.
Why no link to Facebook on this article which is so important?