If you received a notice that your personal information was exposed in a data breach, first verify that the notice is genuine and find out exactly what information was involved. Then follow the Federal Trade Commission’s breach-specific guidance at IdentityTheft.gov/databreach, secure any exposed accounts, and choose credit protections if the exposed data warrants them. Exposure does not by itself mean someone has used your information to commit identity theft.
This guide covers steps for consumers in the United States. The right response depends on whether the breach exposed a password, Social Security number, financial details, or other information. The organization’s notice should explain what was involved and describe any services it is offering.
1. Verify the notice and identify what was exposed
Read the notice carefully. Look for the types of information involved, the event date if provided, instructions from the organization, and any deadline to enroll in a free service. Do not assume that every breach exposes the same data or creates the same risk.
- If you are unsure the notice is real, do not use its links or phone numbers. Contact the organization through contact details you independently confirm on its official website.
- Be alert to follow-up messages that imitate the breached organization or a government agency. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises using official channels because scammers impersonate agencies, including the FTC. See the CFPB’s identity-theft guidance.
- Keep a copy of the notice and note any enrollment deadline so you can refer to the details later.
2. Follow the breach-specific advice and consider free services
The FTC directs people who receive a breach notice to IdentityTheft.gov/databreach for steps tailored to the information exposed. Follow those recommendations, and consider free credit monitoring or identity-theft insurance offered by the company responsible for the breach. The FTC’s data-breach guidance explains this response.
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Monitoring can alert you to activity on the reports or information it watches; it cannot erase exposed data or guarantee that identity theft will be prevented. Before paying for a monitoring service, check:
- Which credit reports and other information it monitors, and how quickly it sends alerts.
- Whether recovery assistance or insurance is included, and what exclusions and deductibles apply.
- The recurring price, renewal terms, and how to cancel.
The FTC notes that monitoring services may charge monthly or annual fees. Identity-theft insurance generally does not reimburse money stolen by a scammer, and coverage depends on the policy’s terms. Monitoring does not replace securing accounts, using a credit freeze when appropriate, or reporting actual identity theft. See the FTC’s identity-theft guidance.
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3. Match your response to the information exposed
If your Social Security number was exposed
- Get and review your credit reports. Look for accounts and activity you do not recognize.
- Consider a credit freeze with all three nationwide credit bureaus, or an initial fraud alert if you prefer not to freeze your reports.
- File your taxes early and respond directly to official IRS correspondence. Watch for signs of tax identity theft.
- Keep checking your credit reports and accounts for unfamiliar activity.
These are among the FTC’s steps for a breach involving a Social Security number. A freeze and a fraud alert work differently; see the comparison below.
If an email, social-media, or other online password was exposed
- Change the password for the affected account. If you reused it on other accounts, change it on those accounts too.
- If you cannot sign in, use the provider’s official account-recovery process. Do not follow recovery links from an unexpected message.
- Check that the account’s recovery email address and phone number are yours. Review account activity and remove email-forwarding rules you did not create.
- If payment details were connected to the account, check the related financial accounts for charges you do not recognize.
Use a unique password for each account and, where available, turn on multifactor authentication. These practices can help secure accounts, but they do not undo information already exposed. The FTC gives additional steps for email or social-media accounts that have been hacked.
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If financial or other personal information was exposed
Use the notice and the FTC’s breach-response guidance to determine which accounts, reports, or services to check. Review relevant account statements and credit reports for activity you do not recognize. If the notice offers a free service, check what it covers and its enrollment deadline before deciding whether to use it.
4. Choose between a credit freeze and a fraud alert
Both are free, but they are not interchangeable. A freeze restricts access to your credit report for new-credit purposes. A fraud alert leaves report access available but asks businesses to verify your identity before granting new credit.
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| Protection | What it does | Where to place it | Duration and credit applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Restricts access to your credit report, making it harder for someone to open a new credit account in your name. | Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately. | It lasts until you lift it. Temporarily lift it with the bureau a lender will check when you apply for credit, then restore it afterward. A freeze does not affect your credit score. |
| Initial fraud alert | Asks businesses to verify your identity before opening new credit. | Contact any one of the three nationwide bureaus; that bureau must notify the other two. | It lasts one year under FTC guidance. You do not need to contact all three bureaus to place an initial alert. |
The FTC says freezes are free to place and lift and are available to anyone. Its credit-freeze instructions explain how to contact the bureaus. The FTC also describes initial fraud alerts in its identity-theft guidance. Choose a freeze if you want to restrict access to your report for new-credit purposes; an alert is a lighter measure if you want businesses to take an extra identity-verification step without freezing the report.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.5. Act promptly if you find signs of identity theft
An unfamiliar charge, withdrawal, bill, or credit account can be a sign of misuse. So can a bill that stops arriving unexpectedly, which may indicate that someone changed your address. If you find evidence that someone is using your information:
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- Contact the fraud department at the company where the misuse occurred. Ask it to secure, close, or freeze the affected account, and change related logins and PINs.
- Review your credit reports, bills, and financial accounts for other activity you do not recognize. Place a fraud alert or credit freeze as appropriate.
- Report the identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov to create a recovery plan and an FTC Identity Theft Report.
- For affected financial accounts, contact the financial institution through its verified official contact details. Use official agency contact channels rather than links or phone numbers in unexpected messages.
The FTC’s identity-theft guidance and the CFPB’s consumer guidance describe these recovery steps.
What a breach does—and does not—tell you
A breach notice means information was exposed; it does not establish that anyone has misused it. The actions above let you respond to the specific data involved, strengthen affected accounts, and escalate to account recovery and reporting if you find evidence of fraud.
This guidance is based on U.S. federal consumer resources. It does not establish legal duties, reporting deadlines, or credit-bureau procedures outside the United States. If you live elsewhere, consult your local privacy regulator and credit-reporting system.
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