What to Do First If Your Identity Is Stolen
Discovering your identity has been stolen is disorienting. Here's a calm, step-by-step order of operations for the first few hours and days.
Secure your accounts immediately
Change passwords on any account you suspect is compromised, starting with email since it's often used to reset everything else. Use unique, strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication wherever it's offered.
Place a fraud alert or credit freeze
Contact one of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) to place a fraud alert, which they'll share with the other two. For stronger protection, place a credit freeze at all three — it's free and blocks new creditors from viewing your file entirely.
Report to the FTC
Go to IdentityTheft.gov and file a report. This generates a personal recovery plan and an identity theft affidavit that helps you dispute fraudulent accounts and can support a police report.
Document everything
Keep copies of any breach notices, fraudulent statements, correspondence with companies, and your FTC report. This documentation matters if you later decide to pursue legal action.
Consider a police report
A local police report, combined with your FTC affidavit, can help you dispute fraudulent accounts and is sometimes required by creditors or credit bureaus.
Key takeaway
The fastest path to recovery is securing your accounts, freezing your credit, and filing an FTC report — in that order, starting today.