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If someone opened an account in your name, contact the company’s fraud department, ask it to close or freeze the account, and report the identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov. Then dispute the account with the business and the relevant reporting agencies, secure your existing accounts, and keep a record of every contact. If it is a checking account, check ChexSystems as well as your credit reports.
This guidance is for U.S. consumers. “Account” can mean a credit card or loan, a checking account, or another service; the reporting steps depend on what was opened. The FTC has separate guidance for tax, medical, child, and government-benefit identity theft.
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1. Contact the company that opened the account
Call the company’s fraud department using contact details from its official website or a statement you trust. Tell it the account is unauthorized and ask it to close or freeze the account so it cannot be used. Ask what forms or evidence it needs, how to submit them securely, and how to get written confirmation of the outcome.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →If the company has other accounts of yours, change their passwords and PINs, especially if you reused credentials. Use unique passwords and secure the email account or phone number used to reset them. The FTC’s recovery steps recommend contacting the business and securing affected accounts.
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2. Check whether the account appears on your credit reports
Request your reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion through AnnualCreditReport.com. The FTC currently says consumers can check their reports weekly for free. Review each report for unfamiliar accounts, inquiries, balances, and contact details, and note which bureau lists each item.
If the account is a credit card, loan, or other credit account, place a free initial fraud alert by contacting one of the three nationwide credit bureaus. That bureau must notify the other two. The alert lasts one year and tells businesses to take extra steps to verify your identity before granting new credit; it does not itself block a fraudulent account or remove it from a report.
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3. Report the identity theft and save the recovery plan
Submit a report at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC provides an Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan tailored to the information you provide. Save or print both, and keep copies of any documents you submit.
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You may also file a police report. The FTC advises bringing your FTC Identity Theft Report and identification if you do. A police report is an additional record; it does not replace notifying the business or disputing inaccurate credit-report information.
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4. Dispute the account with the business and credit bureaus
Ask the business to correct its records
After obtaining the FTC report, contact the business again. Send the report and proof of identity using the business’s approved channel. Ask it to close the account, confirm in writing that you are not responsible for the debt, and request removal of the account from any credit report to which it was furnished. Ask how it will handle any charges and whether it needs further information.
Ask credit bureaus to block fraudulent information
Send each bureau reporting the account your FTC Identity Theft Report, proof of identity, and a clear description of the fraudulent information you want blocked. The FTC explains this right in its identity-theft rights guidance. Keep copies and proof of delivery for anything mailed.
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Keep a paper trail
Record the date, company or bureau, person or department reached, reference number, and next step for every contact. Keep copies of letters, forms, reports, and responses. Use the FTC’s sample letters for businesses, credit bureaus, records requests, and debt collectors.
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A fraud alert and a credit freeze are different protections. The options below are free under the FTC guidance cited here; choose based on the protection you need and whether you expect to apply for credit.
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- [Fully Protect Your Privacy] The identity theft protection roller stamp is the perfect choice to protect your private information. With a gentle scroll, you can cover personal details perfectly. You don't have to worry about spending too much time covering courier information and tearing up old documents. More convenient and faster than a shredder
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| Protection | Duration | Who to contact | Effect on new credit applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial fraud alert | One year | Contact one nationwide bureau; it must notify the other two. | Businesses are asked to verify your identity before granting credit; applying remains possible. |
| Extended fraud alert | Seven years | Request it from a bureau and provide an FTC Identity Theft Report. | Businesses are asked to take extra steps to verify your identity; it does not prevent applications. |
| Credit freeze | Until you lift or remove it | Contact each of Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately. | A freeze can interfere with an application that requires a credit check. Lift it with the relevant bureau when you need a creditor to access your report. |
The FTC describes the extended alert and freeze options. A freeze does not stop every kind of misuse, but it restricts access to your credit file for many new-credit checks.
If it was a checking account
Checking-account misuse can appear in consumer banking records rather than—or in addition to—your three credit reports. Order your free ChexSystems report and look for unfamiliar checking accounts. Contact each financial institution where an account was opened and ask it to close the fraudulent account. Then use the reporting and documentation steps above. The FTC provides specific checking-account recovery guidance.
If a debt collector contacts you
Do not accept a claimed debt as yours simply because a company reports it. Ask the collector in writing for information identifying the creditor and the debt, and tell it the account resulted from identity theft. Keep its communications and your response with your other records. The FTC’s sample letters include a letter for a debt collector.
Request records related to the fraudulent account
You can ask the business for copies of records related to the identity theft, such as an application or signature. The FTC’s rights guidance explains how to request business records and what information to provide. The FTC sample-letter page includes a records-request template.
When the account involves taxes, medical care, a child, or benefits
Those situations can require steps beyond an ordinary credit or checking-account dispute. Use IdentityTheft.gov’s issue-specific guidance for tax identity theft, medical identity theft, a child’s identity, or government-benefit fraud rather than assuming the general account process covers every agency or record involved.
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