Identity theft and account protection

Identity Theft Basics

Identity theft happens when someone uses another person’s personal information without permission. It can affect credit reports, bank accounts, tax records, medical records, benefits, phones, email, online accounts, and debt collection. This guide explains warning signs, records to save, fraud alerts, credit freezes, official reports, and where to look for help.

Scam recovery basics Credit report basics

What is identity theft?

Identity theft means someone uses your personal information without permission. The information may include your name, Social Security number, date of birth, address, bank information, card number, driver’s license, medical information, tax information, login credentials, or government-benefit information.

IdentityTheft.gov says recovery is a process and provides step-by-step advice to help people limit damage, report identity theft, and fix credit.

  • Someone opens a credit account in your name.
  • Someone uses your card or bank account without permission.
  • Someone files a tax return using your information.
  • Someone uses your health insurance or medical identity.
  • Someone takes over your email, phone, or online account.
  • Someone uses your identity for loans, jobs, rentals, or benefits.

Warning signs

Common warning signs of identity theft

Identity theft can show up in different places. A single warning sign does not prove identity theft, but it should be checked carefully.

Accounts you do not recognize

A credit report, bank statement, app, or bill may show an account, transaction, loan, inquiry, or collection item you do not recognize.

Unexpected bills or collection notices

You may receive bills, debt collection letters, medical statements, or payment demands for accounts or services you did not use.

Credit application problems

You may be denied credit, offered worse terms, or told there is negative information you did not expect.

Account login alerts

You may receive password reset emails, login alerts, device alerts, account changes, or two-factor authentication codes you did not request.

Tax or benefit problems

You may receive IRS notices, unemployment benefit notices, public-benefit letters, or wage records that do not match your records.

Missing mail or unfamiliar address

Mail may stop arriving, or a credit report may show an address, employer, phone number, or personal detail you do not recognize.

Immediate organization

First steps if you suspect identity theft

CFPB says identity theft victims should place fraud alerts or security freezes on credit reports, file a report at IdentityTheft.gov, and take steps to protect credit history and finances.

  • Save the evidence before deleting messages or closing accounts.
  • Change passwords for affected accounts.
  • Contact banks, card issuers, platforms, or companies involved.
  • Check your credit reports for unfamiliar accounts or inquiries.
  • Consider fraud alerts or credit freezes.
  • Report identity theft through IdentityTheft.gov.
  • Keep all report numbers, claim numbers, and confirmation emails.

Official recovery plan

Use IdentityTheft.gov

IdentityTheft.gov is the federal government’s identity theft recovery website. It provides step-by-step recovery guidance and can help people create an identity theft report and recovery plan.

A recovery plan can help organize next steps for credit accounts, bank fraud, tax identity theft, medical identity theft, government benefits, and other identity misuse.

Open IdentityTheft.gov

Types of identity theft

Different identity theft problems may need different steps

Identity theft is not always limited to credit cards. The right recovery step depends on what information was stolen and how it was used.

Credit identity theft

Credit identity theft may involve new credit cards, loans, hard inquiries, collection accounts, or credit report entries created without permission.

Read credit report basics

Bank or payment fraud

Bank or payment fraud may involve unauthorized transfers, debit card use, payment app transfers, check fraud, or account takeover.

Tax identity theft

Tax identity theft may happen when someone uses your information to file a tax return or affect tax records. The IRS has official identity theft resources for tax-related issues.

Medical identity theft

Medical identity theft may involve someone using your identity, insurance, or medical information to get care, prescriptions, services, or bills.

Government benefit fraud

Government benefit fraud may involve unemployment benefits, public benefits, tax credits, or other government programs opened or claimed using someone else’s information.

Account takeover

Account takeover means someone gains unauthorized access to an existing account, such as email, banking, phone, social media, shopping, or payment accounts.

Fraud alert vs credit freeze

A fraud alert and a credit freeze are different tools. Both can help reduce the risk of new fraudulent credit accounts, but they work differently.

FTC explains that an extended fraud alert is available to people who have experienced identity theft and completed an FTC identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov or filed a police report. USA.gov explains that a credit freeze prevents creditors from accessing a credit report, which helps prevent new credit accounts from being created in your name.

  • Fraud alert: tells creditors to take extra steps before opening new credit.
  • Initial fraud alert: may be used when you suspect identity theft.
  • Extended fraud alert: may last longer and generally requires an identity theft report or police report.
  • Credit freeze: restricts access to your credit report.
  • Lift or thaw: temporarily or permanently removes a freeze when you need credit access.
  • Credit bureau: a company that maintains credit report information.

Credit reports

Check credit reports for identity theft signs

Credit reports may show unfamiliar accounts, hard inquiries, collection accounts, addresses, names, or other details connected to identity theft. Save a copy of any report that shows suspicious information.

CFPB says people have the right to dispute credit report errors and that fixing an error generally means contacting both the credit reporting company and the company that provided the information.

  • Check reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
  • Look for accounts you did not open.
  • Look for hard inquiries you do not recognize.
  • Look for addresses or names that are not yours.
  • Look for collection accounts tied to unfamiliar debts.
  • Save report dates, bureau names, account names, and dispute confirmations.

Disputes and records

Credit report errors may need disputes

If identity theft caused incorrect credit report information, you may need to dispute the information with the credit reporting company and the company that supplied it.

This page does not draft disputes or decide what to dispute. Use official CFPB, FTC, and IdentityTheft.gov resources for the correct process.

Read credit report basics

Documentation

Records to save for identity theft recovery

Keep a clear file. Identity theft recovery can involve banks, credit bureaus, creditors, government agencies, police, platforms, phone companies, medical providers, and debt collectors.

Identity theft report

Save the IdentityTheft.gov report, recovery plan, confirmation number, police report if filed, and any agency report numbers.

Financial records

Save bank statements, card statements, transaction IDs, payment app records, wire confirmations, gift card receipts, cryptocurrency wallet addresses, and fraud claim numbers.

Credit report records

Save credit reports, dispute confirmations, bureau responses, account names, partial account numbers, inquiry records, and letters from creditors or collectors.

Account security records

Save login alerts, password reset emails, unknown-device alerts, account change notices, recovery email changes, SIM swap notices, and two-factor authentication alerts.

Communication records

Save letters, emails, texts, chat messages, voicemails, screenshots, support tickets, complaint numbers, names of representatives, and dates of calls.

Timeline

Write a timeline showing when you discovered the issue, what information was exposed, who you contacted, what reports were filed, and what responses you received.

Do not post identity documents, Social Security numbers, account numbers, medical information, or fraud evidence publicly online.

Account security

Accounts to secure after identity theft

Start with accounts that control money, identity, email, phone access, and account recovery.

Email accounts

Change passwords, remove unknown forwarding rules, update recovery options, sign out unknown devices, and turn on two-factor authentication.

Bank and card accounts

Report unauthorized activity, ask about fraud claims, change online banking passwords, review linked devices, and monitor transactions.

Phone and mobile carrier

Contact the carrier if your phone number was stolen, ported, SIM-swapped, or used to receive verification codes.

Credit accounts

Contact companies where fraudulent accounts were opened. Ask about closing fraudulent accounts and removing fraudulent charges or records.

Government accounts

Secure tax, benefits, Social Security, unemployment, healthcare, student aid, or other government-related accounts if they may be affected.

Social media and marketplace accounts

Change passwords, remove unknown devices, report impersonation, review listings or messages, and warn contacts if your account was used for scams.

Debt collection after identity theft

What if collectors contact you about identity theft debts?

Identity theft may lead to collection calls, collection letters, credit report entries, or even court papers for debts that a person does not recognize.

A debt collector contact should be documented. Save letters, envelopes, phone numbers, voicemail records, emails, texts, validation information, credit report entries, and any court papers.

If the matter becomes a court case, treat court papers separately from ordinary collection letters and verify court deadlines immediately.

Read debt collection basics

Already-defined terms

Debt and court terms to know

  • Debt collector: a person or company trying to collect a claimed debt.
  • Validation notice: information a collector generally must provide about a debt.
  • Credit report dispute: a process for challenging inaccurate information on a credit report.
  • Summons: a court paper that may give notice of a lawsuit and response or appearance instructions.
  • Complaint: a court document that usually explains claims and requested relief.

Tax identity theft

Tax identity theft basics

Tax identity theft may happen when someone uses another person’s information to file a tax return, claim a refund, report wages, or affect tax records.

The IRS provides Identity Theft Central for people who need help with tax-related identity theft, prevention, reporting, notices, and forms.

Open IRS Identity Theft Central

Medical identity theft

Medical identity theft basics

Medical identity theft may involve someone using another person’s name, insurance, Medicare or Medicaid details, or medical information to get care, prescriptions, equipment, or payments.

Save medical bills, explanation of benefits forms, collection notices, provider letters, insurance communications, and records showing services you did not receive.

Where to report identity theft

IdentityTheft.gov is the main federal recovery site for identity theft. FBI victim resources also advise people to report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, place a fraud alert or credit freeze, and keep records of communications.

Depending on what happened, you may also need to contact banks, card issuers, credit bureaus, companies where accounts were opened, IRS, medical providers, government agencies, platforms, or law enforcement.

  • IdentityTheft.gov for identity theft recovery plans and reports
  • Credit bureaus for fraud alerts, freezes, and disputes
  • Banks and card issuers for unauthorized transactions
  • Companies where fraudulent accounts were opened
  • IRS for tax identity theft
  • Local police when a police report is needed or a local crime occurred
  • CFPB for certain financial product or credit reporting complaints

Open IdentityTheft.gov

Avoid risky mistakes

Common identity theft recovery mistakes to avoid

Identity theft recovery can take time. These mistakes can make it harder to protect accounts, correct records, or prove what happened.

Deleting evidence too soon

Save messages, alerts, account records, credit reports, bank records, and report numbers before deleting, blocking, or closing accounts.

Only changing one password

If email or phone access was compromised, other accounts may also be at risk because email and phone numbers are often used for account recovery.

Ignoring credit reports

Credit reports may show fraudulent accounts, hard inquiries, collection items, or addresses that should be disputed or reported.

Not contacting the company involved

If a fraudulent account was opened, contact the company where the account exists and keep written records of the report.

Trusting recovery scammers

Be suspicious of anyone who promises guaranteed recovery, demands upfront fees, asks for passwords, or says they can erase records secretly.

Reliable help

Official identity theft resources

Use official and recognized resources before trusting people who contact you through ads, social media, messaging apps, or recovery forums.

IdentityTheft.gov

IdentityTheft.gov provides step-by-step identity theft recovery guidance, reports, and recovery plans.

Open IdentityTheft.gov

USA.gov identity theft

USA.gov explains warning signs, protection steps, reporting options, and identity theft resources.

Open USA.gov identity theft

CFPB identity theft guidance

CFPB explains general steps for identity theft victims, including fraud alerts, freezes, IdentityTheft.gov reports, and protecting credit history.

Open CFPB identity theft guidance

IRS Identity Theft Central

IRS provides official resources for tax-related identity theft, notices, forms, prevention, and reporting.

Open IRS Identity Theft Central

Scam Recovery Basics

Learn general recovery steps after fraud, including payment provider contact, reporting tools, and recovery scam warnings.

Read scam recovery basics

Common questions

Identity theft FAQ

What is identity theft?

Identity theft happens when someone uses another person’s personal information without permission. It may affect credit, bank accounts, taxes, medical records, government benefits, phone accounts, or online accounts.

What should I do first if I suspect identity theft?

Save evidence, secure affected accounts, contact companies involved, check credit reports, consider fraud alerts or credit freezes, and report identity theft through IdentityTheft.gov.

What is the difference between a fraud alert and a credit freeze?

A fraud alert tells creditors to take extra steps before opening new credit. A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report, which can help prevent new credit accounts from being opened in your name.

Can identity theft cause debt collection?

Yes. Fraudulent accounts may lead to collection letters, calls, credit report entries, or even court papers. Save all records and verify deadlines if court papers arrive.

Can I dispute credit report errors caused by identity theft?

Yes. CFPB says people have the right to dispute credit report errors. Fixing an error generally means contacting both the credit reporting company and the company that supplied the information.

Can Legal Advice Basics fix identity theft for me?

No. Legal Advice Basics provides general legal information only. It does not file reports, recover money, fix credit, investigate fraud, contact companies, provide legal advice, or represent consumers.

Related guides

Scam Recovery Basics

Learn what to do after fraud, including payment provider contact, reporting tools, and recovery scam warnings.

Read scam recovery basics

Credit Report Basics

Learn how to get free credit reports, check for errors, and understand credit report disputes.

Read credit report basics

Debt Collection Basics

Learn how collection contacts, validation information, and warning signs may connect to identity theft issues.

Read debt collection basics
Disclaimer: Legal Advice Basics provides general legal information for educational purposes only. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, identity theft recovery services, credit repair, money recovery, fraud investigation, attorney referrals, case review, document review, report filing, deadline calculation, or emergency legal help. Identity theft recovery steps, credit freezes, fraud alerts, credit disputes, bank claims, tax identity theft, medical identity theft, debt collection issues, police reports, and consumer protections vary by account, agency, company, jurisdiction, document, timing, and facts. If you need advice about your own identity theft issue, contact a licensed attorney, qualified legal aid organization, consumer protection agency, financial institution, law enforcement agency, or appropriate government resource.

Last reviewed: May 28, 2026.