What to Do If Your Identity Is Stolen

Many people searching for what to do if your identity is stolen are looking for clear steps they can take immediately to limit damage and begin the recovery process.

Identity theft can be stressful and confusing for many people. If someone uses your personal information without permission, acting quickly may help limit potential damage.

This guide outlines general steps people often take when responding to identity theft.

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Immediate Steps if Your Identity Is Stolen

• Review your credit reports for suspicious activity  

• Place a fraud alert or credit freeze  

• Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission  

• Contact affected financial institutions  

• Monitor your credit and personal information going forward

The first step is to review your credit reports to identify suspicious accounts or activity.

Look for:

• unfamiliar accounts
• credit inquiries you did not authorize
• incorrect personal information

Identifying fraudulent activity helps determine what actions are necessary.

Understanding how monitoring services detect suspicious activity may also help families respond more quickly in the future.

A fraud alert notifies lenders to take additional steps to verify identity before opening new accounts.

A credit freeze can help block new credit accounts from being opened entirely unless the freeze is lifted.

These protections can be requested through the major credit bureaus.

Identity theft can be reported through the Federal Trade Commission identity theft reporting system.

The report provides documentation that may help when disputing fraudulent accounts.

If fraudulent accounts appear, contacting the banks or companies involved may help begin the dispute process.

Many institutions have fraud departments that handle identity theft claims.

After identity theft occurs, continued credit and identity monitoring can help detect additional activity quickly 

Some people choose to review credit reports regularly or use monitoring services that provide alerts.

Some families choose to use identity protection services that provide alerts and monitoring tools designed to detect suspicious activity across credit reports and personal information. Comparing available options may help determine whether ongoing monitoring is appropriate.

Families evaluating monitoring services may also want to review our guide to the Best Identity Theft Protection Services for Families.

If your identity is stolen, acting quickly may help reduce the impact and prevent additional damage. Reviewing credit reports, placing alerts or freezes, and reporting the incident are common first steps.

For some households, ongoing credit and identity monitoring may provide additional awareness after an incident. Comparing monitoring options can help determine what level of protection is appropriate moving forward.