Identity theft recovery feels overwhelming because it touches so many parts of your life at once. Work this checklist top to bottom, and check items off as you go.
Step 1: Call the companies where fraud occurred. Contact the fraud department of each business where the thief opened or misused an account. Ask them to close or freeze the fraudulent account, and request written confirmation.
Step 2: File your FTC report. Complete the report at IdentityTheft.gov. This generates your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan — the backbone of everything that follows.
Step 3: Place a fraud alert or freeze. Put a fraud alert on your credit files — one bureau notifies the other two — or place full security freezes at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion for stronger protection. Extended seven-year alerts require your FTC report.
Step 4: Review all three credit reports. Look for accounts, inquiries, and addresses you do not recognize. Dispute every fraudulent item in writing with the bureau and with the company that reported it.
Step 5: Consider a police report. Bring your FTC Identity Theft Report, photo ID, and proof of address to your local police department. Get the report number — some creditors require it.
Step 6: Fix the supporting details. Change passwords on email, banking, and shopping accounts. If your mail may be compromised, consider a USPS informed-delivery watch or a P.O. box. If tax fraud is involved, contact the IRS.
Step 7: Keep a recovery binder. File every letter, confirmation number, and name of every person you spoke with. Recovery can stretch for months, and organized records turn follow-ups from ordeals into errands.
Step 8: Monitor going forward. Check your free credit reports regularly, watch bank and card statements monthly, and renew your fraud alert or keep freezes in place until you are confident the dust has settled.
Join the conversation
Load Facebook comments to read and reply using your Facebook account.