Before doing anything else, go to IdentityTheft.gov (the FTC's official site — not a third-party service). Create a free account and describe what happened. The site generates a personalised, step-by-step recovery plan, pre-fills dispute letters addressed to specific creditors and credit bureaus, tracks your progress, and lets you update your plan as your situation evolves. The entire setup takes 20–30 minutes and gives you legal documents you'll need throughout recovery. Your FTC Identity Theft Report from this site grants specific rights under federal law that standard complaints do not.
Why Your FTC Identity Theft Report Is a Legal Document
An FTC Identity Theft Report — generated at IdentityTheft.gov — is not just a complaint. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), it grants you enhanced legal rights that dramatically accelerate recovery:
- Credit bureaus must block fraudulent information within 4 business days (vs. 30 days for standard disputes)
- You qualify for an extended fraud alert lasting 7 years (vs. 1 year for a standard alert)
- The burden of proof shifts to the creditor — they must prove the debt is valid, not you prove it isn't
- Blocked fraudulent information cannot be re-inserted without the creditor certifying the debt is valid
- You gain the right to have fraudulent accounts removed from your credit report
- You can stop debt collectors from pursuing debts created by identity theft
Create your account at IdentityTheft.gov and save both the FTC Identity Theft Report and your personalised recovery plan. If you don't create an account, print and save them immediately — you cannot retrieve them later without logging in.
Phase 1: Immediate Actions (Days 1–7)
Contact Every Company Where Fraud Occurred
Call the fraud department — not general customer service — at every company where a fraudulent account was opened or a fraudulent charge was made. Explain that you are a victim of identity theft and ask them to close or freeze the account. Request written confirmation that you are not responsible for charges. Change all logins, passwords, and PINs on any accounts that may have been accessed.
IdentityTheft.gov provides pre-filled dispute letters for each company. Use them — they include the correct legal language and reference your FTC Identity Theft Report, which creditors are legally required to act on.
Place an Extended Fraud Alert
Unlike a standard one-year fraud alert, identity theft victims with an FTC Identity Theft Report qualify for an extended fraud alert lasting 7 years. This requires creditors to verify your identity before opening any new account in your name — a far stronger protection than a standard alert.
Contact one of the three credit bureaus — they are legally required to notify the other two. Equifax: equifax.com or 800-685-1111. Experian: experian.com or 888-397-3742. TransUnion: transunion.com or 888-909-8872. You'll need to provide your FTC Identity Theft Report. The extended alert also automatically removes you from pre-screened credit offer lists for 5 years.
Place a Credit Freeze (If You Haven't Already)
Even with an extended fraud alert in place, a credit freeze is worth adding — it's a stronger block on new account openings. It's free at all three bureaus and doesn't affect your existing accounts. See our complete credit freeze guide for step-by-step instructions at each bureau.
Get Your Free Credit Reports and Review Them
Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and pull your reports from all three bureaus. Review every entry carefully. Make a list of every account, inquiry, or item you don't recognise — these are your targets for dispute. You're entitled to free weekly reports through 2026.
Phase 2: Disputing Fraudulent Accounts (Weeks 2–8)
How to Dispute With Credit Bureaus
For each fraudulent item on your credit report, file a dispute with the bureau reporting it. With your FTC Identity Theft Report, you have enhanced dispute rights — bureaus must block fraudulent items within 4 business days, not the standard 30. Use the pre-filled dispute letters from IdentityTheft.gov. Send them by certified mail with return receipt so you have proof of delivery. Keep copies of everything.
Include with each dispute letter: your FTC Identity Theft Report, a copy of a government ID, proof of your current address, and a clear list of the specific items you are disputing and why they are fraudulent.
Equifax: equifax.com/disputes or P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374
Experian: experian.com/disputes or P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion: transunion.com/disputes or P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
You may need to dispute with each bureau separately, as they don't automatically share dispute results with each other.
How to Dispute Directly With Creditors
In addition to disputing with the bureau, write to the creditor that opened or reported the fraudulent account. Include your FTC Identity Theft Report, a government ID, and a clear statement that the account was opened without your authorisation. Under the FCRA, once you provide an Identity Theft Report, the creditor must stop reporting the fraudulent account to the bureaus and cannot attempt to sell or transfer the debt.
Dealing With Debt Collectors
If a debt collector contacts you about a debt created by identity theft, write to them within 30 days of first contact disputing the debt. Include your FTC Identity Theft Report. Once you dispute the debt in writing, the collector must stop collection activity until they can verify the debt is valid. IdentityTheft.gov provides a pre-filled debt collector dispute letter.
Phase 3: Specific Types of Identity Theft Recovery
Tax Identity Theft Recovery
If someone filed a fraudulent tax return in your name: complete IRS Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) and file it with your paper tax return along with an explanation. Call the IRS Identity Protection Specialised Unit at 800-908-4490. Enroll in the IRS Identity Protection PIN program at IRS.gov/IPPIN — this 6-digit code prevents anyone from filing a return in your name going forward. Recovery can take 12–18 months for the IRS to fully process, but your IP PIN will protect future filings immediately.
Medicare Identity Theft Recovery
Review every Medicare Summary Notice for services you didn't receive. Report fraudulent claims to 1-800-MEDICARE and the HHS OIG at oig.hhs.gov. Contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol (smpresource.org or 877-808-2468) for personalised assistance. Medicare may issue you a new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) number in cases of serious identity theft — ask about this when you call.
Social Security Number Misuse
Create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount and review your work history for employment under your SSN you didn't authorise. Report any discrepancies to the SSA. Add online service blocks to prevent anyone from viewing or changing your information online. Report to the SSA OIG at oig.ssa.gov/report.
Bank Account and Financial Account Takeover
Contact your financial institution's fraud department immediately. Request new account numbers for any compromised accounts. Review all transactions for the past 90 days. Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, you have limited liability for unauthorised electronic transfers if reported within 60 days of receiving your statement — report promptly.
Phase 4: Long-Term Monitoring (Ongoing)
- Check your credit reports weekly at AnnualCreditReport.com — free through 2026. Look for new accounts, new inquiries, or changed addresses
- Review all financial account statements monthly for transactions you don't recognise
- Review Medicare Summary Notices carefully every time one arrives
- Monitor your my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount for unexpected changes
- Keep your credit freeze and extended fraud alert in place — lift the freeze only temporarily when you need to apply for genuine credit
- Keep copies of all your recovery documentation — your FTC Identity Theft Report, dispute letters, and creditor responses — organised in a file
Free Recovery Support
Identity Theft Resource Center: 888-400-5530 or idtheftcenter.org — free, one-on-one assistance from trained advisors. No cost, no judgment.
FTC Identity Theft Hotline: 877-438-4338 — official FTC helpline for identity theft victims
AARP Fraud Watch Helpline: 877-908-3360 — free counselling for identity theft and fraud victims 50+
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: consumerfinance.gov or 855-411-2372 — for issues with creditors or credit bureaus not cooperating with dispute processes