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Identity Theft

Someone is using your name, Social Security number, or accounts. Here is how to catch it early and take your identity back.

Identity theft happens when someone gets your personal information (Social Security number, date of birth, or account numbers) and uses it to pretend to be you. They may open credit cards, take out loans, file a tax return to steal your refund, or use your medical insurance. Your information can leak through data breaches, stolen mail, phishing messages, or scam phone calls. Often the first sign is a bill, collection call, or credit alert for something you never did.

Watch: how this scam works

Published by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission · 1:17 Open the original

Warning signs

  • Bills, credit cards, or collection letters arrive for accounts you never opened.
  • You are denied credit unexpectedly, or your credit score drops without explanation.
  • The IRS says a tax return was already filed in your name, or you get tax forms from an employer you never worked for.
  • Your bank statement shows withdrawals or charges you did not make.
  • Expected mail stops arriving. Someone may have changed your mailing address.
  • A company notifies you that your information was exposed in a data breach.

How to protect yourself

  • Freeze your credit at all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). It is free, and it blocks new accounts in your name. You can unfreeze anytime.
  • Check your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com, the only official free site.
  • Never carry your Social Security card in your wallet, and shred documents with personal information before throwing them away.
  • Give out your Social Security number only when truly required. It is okay to ask "do you really need it?"
  • Review bank and card statements every month, and sign up for transaction alerts on your phone.

If it happened to you

  1. Go to IdentityTheft.gov first. It creates your official report and a step-by-step recovery plan, all in one place.
  2. Call the companies where fraud happened, close or freeze those accounts, and place a fraud alert or freeze on your credit.
  3. Keep a folder with dates, names of people you spoke to, and copies of every letter. Recovery takes time and records matter.
  4. This crime can happen to anyone whose data was leaked. It is not your fault, and the recovery system exists for exactly this reason.

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