After Identity Theft Checklist
What do you do if your personal information is stolen? Use this checklist to help make recovering from identity theft easier.
Identity theft is the crime of obtaining another person’s personal or financial information with the intention of assuming that person’s identity to commit fraud, usually for financial gain. As a victim of identity theft, you may feel upset and overwhelmed knowing someone has access to your private information. However, recovering from identity theft is possible. By breaking the process down into steps and using the right resources, you’ll protect yourself and move toward life after identity theft.
Eight Steps To Recovery
Call Companies Where Fraud Occurred
- Inform them of the fraud
- Close account (if necessary)
- Change logins, passwords, and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs)
Obtain Credit Report & Set Fraud Alerts
- Visit annualcreditreport.com to obtain a credit report from three major credit reporting bureaus
- Review each report carefully
- Set fraud alerts with each credit reporting bureau
Report ID Theft To Federal Trade Commission
- Visit identitytheft.gov or call 877.438.4338 to complete the Identity Theft Report
- Follow established recovery plan
File A Police Report
- Contact local law enforcement to inform them of theft
- Provide a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report
Correct Credit Report
- Submit disputes to each credit reporting bureau that contains fraudulent account information
- Can be completed online at the credit bureau’s website or by mailing a dispute letter
Consider An Extended Fraud Alert Or Freeze
- Extended fraud alerts last for seven years
- Credit freezes last until you remove them
Contact Social Security Administration
- Create a My Social Security account at ssa.gov
- Review the earnings posted to your record
- Contact Social Security if you see inconsistencies
Contact The Internal Revenue Service (If Applicable)
- Respond immediately to any IRS notice by calling the number provided
Summary
Remember, don’t wait to respond if you’ve been the victim of identity theft. Not only will you limit your liability for the fraudulent transactions, but you may also be able to stop the fraud from making a mess of your life. Feeling uncertain about what to do first is common, but by springing into action and following these eight steps, you’ll be on the road to rebuilding your finances.
Resources
Equifax®
To order a credit report: 800.685.1111
To report fraud: 888.766.0008
equifax.com
Experian™
To order a credit report: 888.397.3742
To report fraud: experian.com/fraud
experian.com
TransUnion®
To order a credit report: 800.888.4213
To report fraud: 800.680.7289
transunion.com
Annual Credit Report
877.322.8228
annualcreditreport.com
Federal Trade Commission
877.382.4357
Identity theft hotline: 877.438.4338
ftc.gov
Social Security Administration
800.772.1213
Identity theft hotline: 877.438.4338
ssa.gov
Safety & Security
Keeping your personal and account information safe can be challenging. Use our tools and tips to help protect yourself from fraud and identity theft.
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