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The steps below are for U.S. consumers and follow current Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance. A company may have its own form or document requirements, so use a verified contact channel and save copies of everything you submit.
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1. Contact the company that opened or reported the account
Start with the business named on a bill, collection notice, credit-report entry or other alert. Find its fraud or identity-theft department through the company’s official website, statement or card—not through a phone number in a suspicious message. Tell the representative plainly: “I did not open this account. Someone used my identity.” Ask for a case or reference number.
Ask for an immediate hold and written outcome
- Request that the company close or freeze the fraudulent account and stop new charges.
- Ask it to pause collection activity while it investigates your identity-theft dispute.
- Request written confirmation that the account is not yours, that you are not liable for the balance, and that the company has corrected or removed any related credit reporting.
- Ask what additional documents or company form it requires. Some businesses may ask for an FTC Identity Theft Report, proof of identity or a signed statement; that is a possible business requirement, not a universal rule.
Record the date and time, the department, each person’s name or identification number, the case number, documents requested and the promised next step. After a call, send a short written follow-up through the company’s verified channel so there is a dated paper trail. Do not assume the account will disappear immediately; investigation and credit-file updates can take separate steps.
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2. Create an FTC Identity Theft Report and recovery plan
Report the incident at IdentityTheft.gov. The site uses the information you provide to produce an FTC Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan. The FTC states: “Your identity theft report proves to businesses that someone stole your identity. It also guarantees you certain rights.” Give a factual account of the account, dates, notices and any transactions you recognize or reject.
Save the report even if you create no online account
An account on IdentityTheft.gov can track tasks and pre-fill letters and forms. If you do not create one, save or print the completed report and recovery plan as soon as they are generated. Store the files somewhere secure and keep a backup. Send a copy only through a verified channel requested by the company or credit bureau.
Submitting the report does not itself close an account or force a creditor to decide the dispute in your favor. The FTC does not resolve individual consumer reports; information is used in the FTC process and entered into Consumer Sentinel for law-enforcement use and analysis. The report is evidence that supports your requests to the business and credit bureaus.
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3. Review every credit report and choose protection against new accounts
Obtain your reports from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus and look for unfamiliar accounts, inquiries, addresses, phone numbers and collection entries. Treat an unknown item as a lead to investigate, not proof that every entry is fraudulent. Note the creditor, account-open date, balance, inquiry date and bureau on which it appears.
Fraud alert, extended alert or credit freeze?
The FTC describes three free protections. They work differently, so choose based on how much friction you can accept when applying for legitimate credit.
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| Protection | Duration | How it is placed | What a business must do | Identity-theft documentation | When you need legitimate credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial fraud alert | One year | Contact one nationwide bureau; that bureau must notify the other two. | A lender must take reasonable steps to verify your identity before issuing new credit. | Not stated as required for the initial alert in the cited FTC guidance. | You may need to respond to the lender’s verification questions. |
| Extended fraud alert | Seven years | Send an Identity Theft Report to each nationwide bureau. | Potential creditors must contact you before issuing credit. | Requires an FTC Identity Theft Report. | Plan to be contacted directly before a new credit account is approved. |
| Credit freeze | Until you lift or remove it | Place it separately with each of the three nationwide bureaus. | The bureau limits access to your file, making it harder to open new credit in your name. | The FTC guidance does not require an Identity Theft Report to place a freeze. | Temporarily lift the freeze or remove it when an application requires access. |
These measures are free. An alert asks businesses to verify you; a freeze restricts access to your report. You can use an alert, a freeze, or both according to your situation. Keep confirmation numbers and instructions for lifting a freeze.
4. Dispute the fraudulent account and block its credit reporting
Send a written dispute to the company and to every credit bureau showing the account. Identify the account precisely, state that it resulted from identity theft and request correction or removal. Include copies—not originals—of supporting documents.
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The FTC says a request to block identity-theft information should include:
- Your FTC Identity Theft Report.
- Proof of your identity.
- A statement identifying the specific fraudulent information, such as the creditor name and account number.
Use the instructions and mailing or online-dispute address supplied by the bureau. The FTC’s sample letters page includes templates for disputing a new fraudulent account, requesting a block and asking a business for records. Keep the completed letter, attachments, delivery evidence and the date sent.
Why an identity-theft block is different from an ordinary dispute
An ordinary dispute says information is inaccurate. An identity-theft block request invokes specific rights described by the FTC: with the required report, identity proof and identification of the fraudulent item, you can ask the bureau to block that information and support a request that the creditor stop reporting the account as yours. The FTC says that under most state laws a consumer is not responsible for fraudulent new-account debt opened without permission, but the exact legal result depends on the circumstances and applicable law.
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Send the company the same core facts and ask it to notify the bureaus of the correction. If it has a separate identity-theft form, complete it while retaining your own letter and attachments. No creditor-specific resolution deadline is established by the FTC material cited here, so keep following up using your case number and written record.
5. Request the application and other business records
If you need to determine how the scammer opened the account or to prove the account was not yours, ask the company for records related to the identity theft. Depending on what the business retains, records can include an application, transaction history, delivery information, identification documents or a signature. The FTC says victims can request these records and provides a model request at IdentityTheft.gov’s sample-letter page.
Follow the company’s instructions about identity verification and where to send the request. Ask for a written explanation if it refuses or says records are unavailable. Do not send more personal information than the verified process requires, and redact unrelated data before sharing documents with another party.
6. Follow the path for the type of account
Checking or savings account
Identity thieves may open deposit accounts that never appear on a regular credit report. Request your free ChexSystems report and look for unfamiliar checking-account applications or closures. Contact each financial institution listed, report the fraud to its fraud department and request closure, correction and written confirmation.
Utility account
Contact the utility provider’s fraud team and dispute the service address, dates and balance. If the provider does not resolve the problem, the FTC points consumers to their state Public Utility Commission for further help. Keep the service address and account number in your log, but do not publish them in an unsecured forum.
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Phone, telecommunications or pay-TV account
Tell the service provider that the account was opened through identity theft and request closure and correction. Request an NCTUE Data Report to check telecommunications, pay-TV and utility accounts reported by NCTUE exchange members. If the provider does not resolve the matter, the FTC points to the FCC complaint process.
A child’s identity
For an account opened in a minor’s name, a parent or legal guardian should contact the company, explain that the person is a minor, request closure and obtain written confirmation that the child is not liable. The FTC has separate instructions for child identity theft; preserve the child’s documents and provide only the verification the company’s legitimate fraud channel requests.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.7. Build a case file and protect your information while the dispute is open
Use one secure folder—paper, encrypted storage or both—for the FTC report, credit reports, letters, delivery receipts, screenshots, account statements and call log. Name files with the date and company so you can prove the sequence of events. Record every new notice, including a collection letter that arrives after you asked for a hold.
- Never pay a disputed balance merely to make a collector stop calling unless you have received advice specific to your situation; payment can complicate your position.
- Do not give a caller a password, one-time code or remote access to your device. Call back using a number you independently verify.
- Review your reports again after companies and bureaus process corrections, because a new inquiry or account can reveal additional misuse.
- Keep your fraud-alert or freeze confirmation instructions where you can find them when applying for legitimate credit.
The FTC’s Know Your Rights guidance summarizes rights to make an Identity Theft Report, obtain free credit reports, place alerts and freezes, block fraudulent information, dispute errors, request identity-theft records and address fraudulent debt collection and reporting.
What to say in your first written dispute
Use plain language and identify the exact account. For example:
I did not open or authorize account [account number]. It was opened using my identity. Please close or freeze the account, stop collection activity while you investigate, remove or correct any credit reporting, and confirm in writing that I am not liable. I have attached my FTC Identity Theft Report and proof of identity as requested.
Put variable details such as the account number only in the company’s secure form or letter, not in a public post. The FTC templates can help you adapt the wording to a company, credit bureau or records request.
When the company or bureau asks for more information
Verify the request before responding. Use the phone number or web address on an official statement or the company’s independently located website. Ask exactly which document is required, why it is needed and where it must be sent. Keep a copy of your submission and delivery proof. If an employee says an FTC report is mandatory, treat that as the company’s stated process and confirm the requirement in writing; the FTC guidance explains that businesses may have their own forms and document rules.
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If you receive a new collection notice for the same fraudulent account, send the collector a written identity-theft dispute and reference the company case number. Continue documenting rather than opening a new, unconnected dispute for every phone call.
Official resources
- FTC IdentityTheft.gov Recovery Steps
- FTC IdentityTheft.gov Know Your Rights
- FTC IdentityTheft.gov Sample Letters
- IdentityTheft.gov reporting and recovery-plan home page
- FTC guidance for certain account types, including checking, utilities and phone accounts
Frequently Asked Questions
Does filing at IdentityTheft.gov automatically close the account?
No. The FTC report documents the identity theft and supports your rights, but you still must contact the company and credit bureaus and complete any required dispute process.
Should I place a fraud alert or a credit freeze first?
Both are free but serve different purposes. A one-year alert asks lenders to verify you and can be started with one bureau; a freeze restricts access and must be placed separately with all three. Choose based on whether you need immediate new credit and how much application friction you can manage.
How long will the creditor take to resolve the dispute?
The cited FTC guidance does not establish one deadline for every creditor. Ask for the company’s expected timeline, keep your case number and follow up in writing while monitoring your reports.
The Bottom Line
Act in this order: contact the company, create and save an FTC Identity Theft Report, review reports and place alerts or freezes, then submit documented disputes and blocking requests. A complete paper trail is your strongest protection against being held responsible for an account a scammer opened in your name.
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