Welcome to the Federal
Trade Commission: Your National Resource for Identity
Theft
How can someone steal your identity?
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal
information such as your name, Social Security number,
credit card number or other identifying information,
without your permission to commit fraud or other
crimes.
Identity theft is a serious crime.
People whose identities have been stolen can spend
months or years - and their hard-earned money - cleaning
up the mess thieves have made of their good name and
credit record. In the meantime, victims may lose job
opportunities, be refused loans, education, housing or
cars, or even get arrested for crimes they didn't
commit.
If you think your identity has been
stolen, here's what to do now:
Contact the fraud departments
of any one of the three
major credit bureaus to place a fraud
alert on your credit file. The fraud alert
requests creditors to contact you before opening
any new accounts or making any changes to your
existing accounts. As soon as the credit bureau
confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit
bureaus will be automatically notified to place
fraud alerts, and all three credit reports will be
sent to you free of charge.
Close the accounts that you know
or believe have been tampered with or opened
fraudulently. Use the ID Theft Affidavit when
disputing new unauthorized accounts.
File a police report. Get a copy
of the report to submit to your creditors and
others that may require proof of the crime.
File your complaint with the
FTC. The FTC maintains a database of identity
theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for
investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us
learn more about identity theft and the problems
victims are having so that we can
better assist you.
