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If you gave your Social Security number to a scammer, freeze your credit with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately. A freeze is free and stays in place until you lift or remove it. Then report the identity-theft event at IdentityTheft.gov, obtain all three credit reports, and address any fraudulent accounts or inquiries. A freeze makes new-credit applications harder to approve, but it does not itself report the scam, close existing accounts, or remove fraudulent information.
What to do first
Stop communicating with the caller or texter. Do not send more personal information, money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment details. Caller ID can be spoofed, so a familiar number is not proof that the call came from a government agency.
If you disclosed online-banking credentials, a debit-card number, a credit-card number, or an account password as well as your Social Security number, contact the relevant financial institution using the number on its statement or official website. Ask the institution to secure the account, replace compromised payment credentials, and review recent activity. Change reused passwords and account PINs, and turn on multifactor authentication where available.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe Federal Trade Commission’s guidance for Social Security Administration impersonation scams is direct: “Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended.” The Social Security Administration will not threaten you, demand money or gift cards, or require you to verify an SSN with an unexpected caller.
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Why a credit freeze matters after an SSN disclosure
A credit freeze limits access to your credit report when a lender is deciding whether to issue new credit. Because many new-account applications involve a credit-report check, the restriction can make it substantially harder for an identity thief to open a new card, loan, or utility account in your name.
You must place the freeze with each of the three nationwide credit bureaus. Freezing one file does not freeze the other two. The FTC says the service is free, and the freeze remains until you temporarily lift it or remove it permanently. You can still use existing credit cards and loans, and a freeze does not stop every form of SSN misuse, such as attempts to use the number for employment, tax fraud, benefits fraud, or accounts that do not require a credit check.
Use the FTC’s current “Credit Bureau Contacts” page to reach the official Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion channels. Follow the links and instructions shown there rather than using a phone number supplied by the suspicious caller or an advertisement that resembles a bureau site. Each bureau may ask you to verify your identity and create credentials for managing the freeze.
Place the three freezes
- Open the FTC bureau-contact directory. Start from the Federal Trade Commission’s official credit-bureau contact page and select the current freeze instructions for each bureau. Bureau web addresses and interfaces can change, so use the directory’s live links.
- Submit a freeze request to Equifax. Complete the bureau’s identity-verification steps and save the confirmation, account details, and any PIN or password it issues. Do not assume a request submitted to another bureau was forwarded.
- Submit a separate request to Experian. Record the confirmation and the credentials needed to lift the freeze when you legitimately apply for credit.
- Submit a separate request to TransUnion. Keep its confirmation with the other two records. Check that all three requests show as active before ending the process.
Store the confirmations in a password manager or another secure location. You will need the bureau’s account credentials if a landlord, lender, insurer, or utility provider later asks you to lift the freeze for an application. Lift it only for the period and bureau needed, then reinstate it after the application is complete.
A freeze is not a fraud report. It also does not automatically close an account opened by a thief, correct a wrong address, or erase an inquiry. Those actions require separate contact with the affected business and, when applicable, the credit bureau’s identity-theft dispute process.
Credit freeze versus fraud alert
A fraud alert is a separate protection and can be used together with freezes. It tells businesses that see your credit file to take reasonable steps to verify your identity before extending new credit. It does not restrict report access as a freeze does.
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| Protection | What it does | How to request it | Duration and documentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Limits access to a credit report for new-credit decisions, making many new-account applications more difficult. | Request separately from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. | Free; remains until you lift or remove it. No FTC identity-theft report is required to place the freeze. |
| Initial fraud alert | Requires a business to take reasonable steps to verify identity before issuing credit. | Contact one bureau. That bureau must notify the other two. | Free for one year. You can renew it when the period ends. |
| Extended fraud alert | Places a longer warning on your files and tells potential creditors to contact you before issuing credit. | Request it through a bureau using the documentation it specifies. | Lasts seven years and requires an FTC Identity Theft Report. |
If you want the extra verification signal, place an initial fraud alert through any one bureau after submitting the freezes. You do not need to contact all three for the initial alert; the bureau you contact is responsible for notifying the others. Keep the alert confirmation and note its expiration date.
An extended alert is appropriate when you have an FTC Identity Theft Report and want the longer duration. It is not a substitute for the three freezes: the two protections work differently and can coexist.
Report the scam and create a recovery plan
Use IdentityTheft.gov
File a report at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC service asks what happened and produces a recovery plan tailored to the information you provide. Save or print the completed report and the plan. The report can also provide the documentation needed for an extended fraud alert and for requests to block fraudulent credit-report information.
Report an SSA-impersonation call
For a call claiming that your SSN is suspended, tied to a crime, or about to be canceled, the FTC directs consumers to ReportFraud.ftc.gov as well. Include the caller’s number, the date and time, the script or threats used, payment instructions, and any number or website the caller gave you. Do not call the scammer back to gather more details.
Reporting helps document the event, but it does not freeze your files automatically. You must complete the bureau requests yourself.
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Get and inspect all three credit reports
Use AnnualCreditReport.com to obtain your reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. FTC recovery guidance says consumers can check their reports weekly for free. Download or save each report so you can compare changes over time.
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Look for these warning signs
- Credit cards, personal loans, auto loans, mortgages, or other accounts you did not open.
- Hard inquiries from businesses you do not recognize.
- Collection accounts for purchases or services you never received.
- Incorrect names, addresses, employers, or phone numbers that could indicate a mixed file or account takeover.
- New account balances, payment histories, or credit limits that do not match your records.
Mark the report name, account number (or its last four digits), creditor, opening date, balance, and the bureau on which each item appears. An account may appear on one, two, or all three reports, so inspect every file rather than assuming the reports are identical.
Close fraudulent accounts and preserve evidence
For every unfamiliar account, contact the company’s fraud or identity-theft department. Use a verified number from the company’s official website or a statement, not contact information supplied in the scam message. Tell the representative that the account was opened or used without your authorization, request that it be closed or restricted, and ask for written confirmation of the result.
Ask what documents the company needs and where to send them. Keep copies of letters, forms, identity documents, the FTC report, account statements, and delivery confirmations. Maintain a dated log of calls, names or case numbers, promises, and follow-up dates. Never send original identity documents unless an agency specifically requires them and provides a secure process.
Request a block for fraudulent credit-report information
The FTC says you can ask a credit bureau to block information that resulted from identity theft. The request should identify each fraudulent item and include the documentation the bureau requires. The FTC provides a sample letter and a checklist; follow that current guidance for the correct mailing or submission method.
Prepare these items before submitting a request:
- A copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report.
- Proof of your identity, such as the identification documents requested by the bureau.
- A clear list of the fraudulent accounts, inquiries, or other entries, including creditor names and account numbers when available.
- A statement explaining that the information resulted from identity theft and is not yours.
- Copies of supporting records, such as the business’s fraud-department correspondence or an account statement.
Send the package using the channel and address shown in the FTC’s current sample-letter instructions. Keep a complete copy and proof of delivery. For the specific identity-theft blocking procedure described by the FTC, the bureau generally must block qualifying information within four business days after receiving the required request and documentation. That deadline applies to a complete request under the procedure; it is not a promise that every dispute or investigation will be finished in four days.
If a bureau rejects the request or asks for more information, read the response carefully, supply the missing material, and retain the correspondence. You can also dispute inaccurate information directly through the bureau’s normal dispute process while pursuing the identity-theft block.
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What a freeze does not cover
A freeze is focused on access to your credit report for new-credit decisions. It does not:
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- Prevent a thief from trying to use your SSN for employment, tax filings, medical services, government benefits, or other purposes that may not involve a credit check.
- Stop transactions on an existing card or bank account whose credentials were stolen.
- Automatically alert you to every misuse of your personal information.
- Remove an account, inquiry, collection, or public record from a report.
- Replace passwords, account-security changes, a police report, or a report to the FTC.
That is why the recovery sequence combines account security, three freezes, reporting, report review, business contacts, and bureau disputes.
Optional credit monitoring
If a company responsible for exposing your information offers free credit monitoring, you may enroll. Monitoring can notify you about some new accounts or changes, but it does not prevent an application and does not replace a freeze. Review the enrollment terms, the length of free coverage, the information collected, and the cancellation process before signing up. No paid monitoring service is required to place the freezes or file an FTC report.
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You froze only one bureau
Return to the FTC bureau-contact directory and submit requests to the other two. A single active freeze leaves the unfrozen files available for applications that use those files.
You cannot access a bureau account
Use the bureau’s official password-recovery or identity-verification route. Do not create a second account through an advertisement or give a caller your credentials. Save screenshots or confirmation numbers once access is restored.
A lender says it cannot access your report
Ask which bureau it uses and whether the application requires a temporary lift. Lift the freeze only with that bureau, for the shortest period offered, and reinstate it after the lender confirms the application is complete. A freeze does not need to be removed permanently for ordinary applications.
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You found an unfamiliar inquiry but no account
Contact the business that made the inquiry and ask why it accessed your report. If it resulted from an unauthorized application, request written confirmation and include the inquiry in your identity-theft documentation for the relevant bureau.
You found a fraudulent account
Contact the creditor’s fraud department first, request closure and written confirmation, then send the FTC report, identity proof, and itemized details to each bureau displaying the account. Continue checking for related accounts or inquiries.
You already sent money
Contact the bank, card issuer, or payment service immediately and explain that the payment was induced by impersonation fraud. Ask whether a transfer can be recalled or a card transaction disputed. Preserve receipts and report the incident through the FTC channels; recovery is not guaranteed, but speed matters.
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Government agencies do not require immediate payment to keep an SSN active. End an unexpected call and independently locate the agency’s published contact information if you need to verify a notice. Do not press a caller-provided number, click a link in an unsolicited message, or read an SSN aloud merely because the caller already knows your name or other details.
Use unique passwords for email, financial, and government accounts. Secure your email first because it can be used to reset other accounts. Enable multifactor authentication, review account-recovery phone numbers and addresses, and set transaction alerts with your financial institutions. Shred documents that display your SSN and limit where you store copies.
Printable recovery checklist
- End the scam contact; send no more information or money.
- Secure any bank, card, payment, email, or other account whose credentials were disclosed.
- Place a free freeze separately with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
- Save each confirmation and the credentials needed for a temporary lift.
- Consider a free one-year initial fraud alert through one bureau.
- File at IdentityTheft.gov and, for an SSA-impersonation scam, ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Download all three reports from AnnualCreditReport.com and inspect them for unfamiliar accounts and inquiries.
- Contact each affected business’s fraud department and request written outcomes.
- Use the FTC identity-theft report, proof of identity, and itemized details to request blocks for fraudulent report entries.
- Keep a dated evidence log and continue checking your reports and accounts.
The essential protection is completing all three freezes, not merely signing up for monitoring or filing a report. The reporting and dispute steps then address misuse that a freeze cannot stop.
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