Fraudsters have many ways to try and steal identity details such as your name, date of birth, address, or Social Security number.
You can contact any of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file. The fraud alert asks creditors to contact you before opening new accounts or making changes to your existing accounts.
More steps to take in case of identity theft
- Close accounts you know or suspect were tampered with or opened fraudulently.
- File a police report. Get a copy of it to submit to your creditors or others who may require proof of the crime.
- Report identity theft at www.identitytheft.gov.
- File your complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at www.consumer.ftc.gov or by calling the FTC. The FTC maintains an identity theft database law enforcement agencies use for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps the FTC better assist you as they learn more about identity theft and the problems it creates.
Learn about fraud, scams, and security on our
Fraud & security resources page.