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If someone used your identity to open an account, act in this order: contact the affected business, report the theft at IdentityTheft.gov, then dispute the fraudulent item with each credit bureau that lists it. Save every report, letter, and confirmation. These steps are for U.S. consumers; tax, medical, child, benefits, and government-loan identity theft can require additional agency-specific action.
What to do first when you find identity theft
- Contact the business involved. Call its fraud department and say the account or activity is not yours. Ask it to close or freeze the account as appropriate. Change passwords and PINs on affected accounts. Record when you called, whom or which department you spoke with, and what action you requested.
- Place an initial fraud alert and check your credit reports. Contact one of Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion to request a free one-year fraud alert; the bureau you contact must notify the other two. Get your reports through AnnualCreditReport.com and look for unfamiliar accounts or activity. The FTC says you can check reports weekly for free.
- Report the theft to the FTC. Use IdentityTheft.gov to file online or use its phone reporting route. The site creates an FTC Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan tailored to your situation. Save both. If you do not create an account, print and save the documents immediately; the FTC warns they may not remain accessible after you leave the page.
- Follow up with each business tied to a fraudulent account. Ask it to close the account and send written confirmation that the account is not yours, you are not liable, and it has been removed from your credit report. A business may request your FTC report or its own fraud form. Keep its response and log each contact.
- Dispute the fraudulent credit-report entry. Send a written request to each bureau showing the item, explain that it resulted from identity theft, and include a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report and proof of identity. The FTC calls removal through this process “blocking.”
- Consider stronger safeguards and keep monitoring. Depending on your situation, request an extended fraud alert or freeze your credit. Keep copies of records and check your reports for new unfamiliar entries.
The FTC describes IdentityTheft.gov as “the federal government’s one-stop resource for identity theft victims.”
How to dispute an account you did not open
Contact the business and the bureaus separately
Closing an account with the business and removing its entry from a credit report are related but separate tasks. Contact the business’s fraud department to address the account itself, then write to every credit bureau reporting the fraudulent item. If a debt collector contacts you, the FTC provides a separate sample letter for that situation. Keep communication records for each party.
What to include in a bureau blocking request
- Your name and identifying information sufficient for the bureau to match your file; include proof of identity as directed by the bureau.
- The specific account or other credit-report item you are disputing.
- A clear statement that the item resulted from identity theft and why it is not yours.
- A copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report.
Attach relevant documents, keep copies of everything you send, and use the FTC’s credit-bureau dispute letter or related sample letters as a starting point. Follow the bureau’s current submission instructions rather than relying on an old address.
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What blocking does—and what still needs follow-up
Under the FTC-described blocking process, the requested fraudulent information will not appear on your credit report once blocked, and companies cannot try to collect the debt. Still follow up with the business to address the account and obtain written confirmation. If collection contact continues, preserve the correspondence and use the FTC’s guidance for disputing identity-theft debts with collectors.
Do you need an FTC Identity Theft Report?
You can dispute incorrect credit-file information without an FTC Identity Theft Report. However, the FTC warns that resolving it may take longer and that there is no guarantee the bureaus will remove the item. The report is also required to request a seven-year extended fraud alert and is part of the FTC’s recommended package for blocking fraudulent information.
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The FTC says you may request records related to the theft, such as an account application or transaction records, by writing to the company that holds them and including your FTC report. A police report is not universally required. Reporting to local police is an option, and some businesses may require a police report to remove fraudulent debts from an affected account.
Fraud alert or credit freeze: which should you choose?
| Safeguard | What it does | Duration and setup |
|---|---|---|
| Initial fraud alert | Tells prospective creditors to take reasonable steps to verify your identity. | Free for one year. Contact one of the three bureaus; it must notify the other two. |
| Extended fraud alert | Requires potential creditors to contact you before issuing credit. | Lasts seven years. Available to identity-theft victims who provide an FTC Identity Theft Report; contact a bureau. |
| Credit freeze | Limits access to your credit report, making it harder for someone to open new credit in your name. | Free. Request it separately from each of the three bureaus. It remains until you lift or remove it. |
A fraud alert asks creditors to take verification steps; a freeze restricts access to the report. You may use either or both, depending on the protection you want and your plans to apply for credit. The FTC’s credit bureau contact directory links to current bureau instructions.
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Keep an evidence and follow-up file
- Save your FTC Identity Theft Report and recovery plan, bureau letters, business correspondence, and any account or collection notices.
- Record the date, contact, and requested action for every call or message.
- Keep checking your credit reports for unfamiliar items and follow up with the relevant business and bureau if activity recurs.
- Use current contact details and submission procedures from the FTC directory and the business’s own instructions; avoid relying on addresses or phone numbers copied from older materials.
For step-by-step guidance and the FTC’s current recovery plan, start at IdentityTheft.gov. The described reporting and credit-file rights apply to U.S. consumers.
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