What to do if someone is using your identity
It's not your fault. Personal details leak in data breaches and get taken in scams all the time. Free official tools can block new accounts in your name and help you fix what's wrong. Start with the first step today.
Do these steps in order
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Do this now Get your free recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov
This is the FTC's official site. Use the link below, or type IdentityTheft.gov yourself. If someone used your information, tap Report Identity Theft. If you gave out your number but nothing has happened yet, tap Deal With a Data Breach.
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Do this now Freeze your credit at all three credit bureaus
A freeze stops anyone from opening new credit in your name. It's free and doesn't hurt your credit score. Do it at each bureau, since one doesn't tell the others. Choose the free freeze, not a paid lock.
- Equifax: free credit freeze
- Experian: free credit freeze
- TransUnion: free credit freeze
- FTC: Credit freezes and fraud alerts
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Check your credit reports for free
AnnualCreditReport.com is the only official site for free reports, and you can check every week. Look for accounts or debts you don't know. If you find one, contact that company and add it to your IdentityTheft.gov report.
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Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN
It's a free six-digit number that stops anyone else from filing a tax return with your Social Security number. On the IRS page, tap Get an IP PIN and sign in to your IRS online account. You get a new one each year. The IRS will never ask you for it.
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Tell your bank
Call the number on the back of your card. Ask them to watch for anything unusual and to add any extra protection they offer. Turn on alerts in your bank's app, too.
What to say: “Someone may be using my identity. Please watch my accounts and tell me what extra protection you can add.”
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Set up your free Social Security account online
Creating your my Social Security account yourself helps keep a scammer from opening one in your name. You can also check your work history for jobs that aren't yours. You must be 18 or older.
Follow up later
- Tomorrow: call back and ask for your case or claim number. Write it down.
- In 30 days: look at your bank and card statements for anything you don’t know.
Keep your place
To keep your place, bookmark this page or copy your private link.
Keep the link private. It shows the steps you’ve ticked. Never send it to anyone who calls, texts, or emails you. Latchstring will never ask for it. Your browser’s history also keeps this address, and may copy it to your Google or Apple account if you sync. On a shared phone or computer, use a private window, or clear your history afterward.
Did any of these happen too?
- I sent money by bank, Zelle, wire, Western Union, or MoneyGram
- I paid with an app like Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal
- I paid with a credit or debit card
- I paid with gift cards
- I sent crypto or used a Bitcoin ATM
- I gave cash, gold, or my cards to someone
- I deposited a check and sent money back
- I shared a code or password
- My phone suddenly has no service
- My email or social media account was hacked
- I let someone into my computer or phone
Then, report it and get free help
- Also report it to the FBI at IC3.gov, even if it started with a phone call or a visit.
- Get a free recovery plan from a real person: call or text 888-400-5530 (Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit).
- Age 60 or older? Call the Justice Department’s National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311 for free help reporting it. Mon–Fri, 10 am–6 pm Eastern.
- Feeling overwhelmed? Call or text 988, any time.
Watch for a second scam. Anyone who contacts you offering to get your money back for a fee, a code, your bank details, or access to your phone or computer is a scammer, even if they say they’re the FBI, the FTC, a lawyer, or us. Don’t search online for a company’s phone number either. Scammers post fake ones.
This guide was last checked in October 2026. Sources: