Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal or financial information without permission. The information could be a name and address, a Social Security number, bank or card details, health-insurance information, or login credentials. What a thief can do depends on the information available and the account or service they target; a name or address alone does not automatically let someone open credit or take over an account.
What information can be used for identity theft?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) defines identity theft as “when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission.” The data involved can be information that identifies you, details tied to an account, or credentials and devices that help someone access an existing account.
| Information | How it may be misused |
|---|---|
| Name and address | May help someone impersonate you or support attempts to open accounts or obtain services. |
| Social Security number (SSN), date of birth, or identification documents | May be used in attempts to impersonate you, apply for services, or obtain employment or benefits. |
| Bank-account or payment-card numbers | May enable unauthorized transactions or contribute to account fraud. |
| Medical-insurance account details | May be used to obtain medical care or otherwise misuse health coverage. |
| Usernames, passwords, one-time passcodes, or access to a device | May help someone log in to an existing account, especially if a password is reused or an account lacks additional authentication. |
These are examples, not a universal checklist of information a criminal must have. The FTC lists possible outcomes such as unauthorized purchases, new credit cards, utility or phone accounts, tax-refund theft, employment, medical care, and impersonation. The relevant information differs by target: taking over an account is not the same as applying for credit or filing a tax return.
USA.gov also warns that physical items can expose information or provide access. These include driver’s licenses, passports, credit and bank cards, and health-insurance cards stolen from a wallet or purse.
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How can personal information be stolen?
USA.gov and the FTC describe both physical and digital routes. Examples include:
- Theft of a wallet, purse, or mail.
- Searching discarded financial or tax documents.
- Skimming card information at an ATM or payment location.
- Phishing by email, text, or phone, including unsolicited contacts asking for personal information.
- Information shared publicly or too broadly on social media.
- Risks associated with using public Wi-Fi.
These are known methods, not a ranking of how often each one occurs. Be cautious when a message or call you did not expect asks for sensitive details, and avoid sharing information publicly that could help someone impersonate you.
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How can you reduce the risk?
Limit when you share your SSN
When an organization asks for your SSN, ask why it is needed, how it will be protected, whether another identifier is acceptable, or whether the last four digits will suffice. Do not provide personal information in response to an unsolicited call, email, or text asking for it.
Protect documents and mail
Keep financial records, SSN and Medicare cards, and other sensitive documents somewhere secure. Shred sensitive papers before discarding them, and retrieve mail promptly. These steps reduce exposure through physical documents; they do not secure online accounts.
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Secure accounts with strong passwords and MFA
Use strong, unique passwords and turn on multifactor authentication (MFA) wherever it is available. MFA requires an additional factor—such as a one-time passcode or biometric—making it harder for someone to log in with only a username and password. If a breach exposes a password, change it on the affected account and on any other account where you reused it. If payment details were stored in the affected account, check the related financial accounts as well.
Choose a credit freeze or fraud alert for new-credit risk
A freeze and an alert work differently. Both concern new-credit applications; neither blocks every kind of identity theft.
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| Option | What it does | How to place it and what to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Restricts access to your credit report, which can make it harder for someone to open a new credit account in your name. | Place a freeze separately with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You may need to lift it temporarily when applying for credit or another service that checks your credit. The FTC says freezes are free. |
| Initial fraud alert | Asks businesses to take steps to verify your identity before opening credit in your name. | Contact one of the three credit bureaus; it must notify the other two. An initial alert lasts one year. |
Choose based on the protection you want: a freeze restricts access to your credit report, while an alert prompts verification. Neither is a substitute for monitoring bank accounts, tax matters, or other forms of identity misuse.
Review financial activity and credit reports
Check bills, bank and card statements, and credit reports for activity or accounts you do not recognize. Credit monitoring may alert you to changes on the credit reports it covers, but the FTC says it does not alert you to bank-account withdrawals or someone filing a tax return to claim a refund. Check which bureaus and alert types a service covers rather than assuming it monitors every kind of fraud.
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What are the warning signs of identity theft?
Investigate if you notice any of the following. Each is a reason to check further, not proof on its own:
- A bill for a purchase you did not make.
- An unexpected bill for an account you do not recognize.
- Unfamiliar withdrawals from a bank account.
- An account on a credit report that you did not open.
- Bills that stop arriving; a billing address may have been changed.
What should you do if you find misuse?
- Contact the affected company. Ask its fraud department to close or freeze the affected account. Change the account’s password and PIN.
- Place a fraud alert and review your credit reports. IdentityTheft.gov recommends a free one-year fraud alert and reviewing your reports.
- Report the identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC’s site can generate an Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan tailored to the issue.
- Keep records. Save copies of reports and correspondence, and note whom you contacted and when.
The next steps depend on what was misused. Credit, bank accounts, tax returns, medical records, and benefits may each require a different response.
What can identity-monitoring services—and credit freezes—not do?
Paid services may offer credit monitoring, identity monitoring, identity recovery help, or identity-theft insurance, but their coverage varies. Credit monitoring may cover one, two, or all three major credit bureaus; compare the bureau coverage and the types of changes that trigger alerts.
Monitoring is not a guarantee against identity theft. Credit monitoring does not catch bank withdrawals or tax-refund fraud, and identity monitoring can have gaps, including many government-benefit claims. Recovery services may help with paperwork, though the FTC notes that some recovery tasks can be done independently for little or no cost. Identity-theft insurance generally concerns certain out-of-pocket recovery costs and typically does not reimburse money stolen by scammers. Treat these services as optional tools, not a complete shield.
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