If you find an account, credit inquiry, or other item you don’t recognize, contact the business named on the report’s fraud department and secure any affected accounts. Then document the item, report suspected identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and ask each credit bureau showing the fraudulent information to block it. You can also place a free fraud alert or security freeze to help guard against new accounts.
First, check what the unfamiliar item is
An item you don’t recognize deserves attention, but it is not proof by itself that someone stole your identity. It could be a reporting error, a transaction or account under a name you know by another name, or fraud. Review the details and contact the business identified on the report to find out what it is.
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Get reports from all three nationwide credit bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com. The FTC says consumers can check their reports weekly for free. An item may appear on one report but not another, so checking only one bureau can leave you unaware of information reported elsewhere.
Record the details before contacting anyone. Note the bureau, business or account name, account number if shown, inquiry date, balance, and any other information that distinguishes the item. Save copies of the relevant report pages and keep a dated log of calls, letters, names, and case or reference numbers. This gives you a consistent record as you contact the business, the FTC, and the bureaus.
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Secure the account and protect your other accounts
Contact the company associated with the unfamiliar account or transaction and ask for its fraud department. Use contact details from the company’s official website or another source you independently trust—not a phone number or link in an unexpected message. Ask the company to investigate, close or secure the account as appropriate, stop further charges, and explain how it will confirm the outcome in writing.
If the item involves a bank, card, or other financial account, contact that institution through an official channel, such as the number on the back of your payment card. Change the password and PIN for the affected account, and change any reused passwords on other accounts. If you use the same credentials in more than one place, securing only the account named on the report may leave other accounts exposed.
Be cautious of anyone who contacts you unexpectedly claiming to be from a government agency or financial institution. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) warns that scammers impersonate those organizations and may pressure people to move money or disclose credentials. End an unsolicited conversation and contact the organization using a channel you independently verified.
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Choose the right protection: alert, freeze, or both
A fraud alert asks creditors to take steps to verify the identity of someone applying for credit in your name. A security freeze restricts prospective creditors’ access to your credit file until you lift or remove the freeze. Neither option is the same as asking a bureau to block a specific fraudulent item already on your report.
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| Option | Who can use it | What it does | How to set it up | Duration or trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial fraud alert | Any consumer seeking additional identity verification for new credit | Asks creditors to take steps to verify the applicant’s identity | Contact one nationwide bureau; it must notify the other two | One year. It is not a freeze and does not block all access to a credit file. |
| Extended fraud alert | Identity-theft victims with the required identity theft report | According to FTC guidance, requires a business to contact the consumer before granting new credit | Use the FTC Identity Theft Report and contact one bureau, which informs the others | Seven years. Provide a reliable contact method. |
| Security freeze | Any consumer | Restricts prospective creditors’ access to the file | Request it separately from each of the three nationwide bureaus | Free. You may need to lift it when applying for credit or another service that checks your file. |
Place a fraud alert if you want an extra verification step
An initial fraud alert is free and lasts one year. You only need to contact one of the three nationwide bureaus to start it; that bureau must notify the other two. If you have an FTC Identity Theft Report, FTC guidance says you can request an extended fraud alert, which lasts seven years. The extended alert is intended for identity-theft victims who have the required report.
Freeze your credit files to restrict access for new credit
A freeze is free and is available whether or not you have an identity-theft report. Request it from each bureau individually: a freeze at one bureau does not automatically freeze the other two. The CFPB explains that a freeze stops new creditors from accessing your credit file until you lift it.
The trade-off is practical: when you apply for credit or a service that checks your file, you may need to lift the freeze so the relevant company can access it. You can ask a bureau to lift or remove the freeze when needed. The following are federal timing requirements described by the CFPB, last reviewed September 5, 2025:
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- The bureau must send written confirmation within five business days after placing the freeze.
- For a telephone or electronic request to lift a freeze, the bureau must complete it within one hour. A mailed request to lift it may take up to three business days.
Exact forms and submission procedures can change, so follow the current instructions on each bureau’s official site. The CFPB says paid credit locks are no more effective than the free security freeze available by law; a paid lock is not required to obtain the freeze protection described here.
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Report the identity theft to the FTC
Use IdentityTheft.gov to describe what happened and get an FTC Identity Theft Report and a personalized recovery plan. The report can help establish the identity theft with businesses and supports the steps for asking bureaus to block fraudulent information. Follow the recovery plan for the type of information involved, including any actions it specifies for contacting a company or protecting accounts.
Save or print both the report and recovery plan. The FTC says that if you do not have an account, you should save them immediately because they may not be accessible after you leave the page. Keep copies with your report notes and correspondence, and avoid sending your only copy of a document.
Ask the bureaus to block identity-theft information
If the unfamiliar item is the result of identity theft, use the identity-theft blocking process rather than treating it only as an ordinary report error. Send a written request to every bureau whose report contains the fraudulent account or information. Include the FTC Identity Theft Report, proof of your identity, and a clear description of exactly which information is fraudulent. Ask the bureau to block that information from your credit report.
The FTC says a bureau must honor a request to block identity-theft information when the consumer provides an FTC Identity Theft Report. Keep a copy of everything you send and evidence of when it was delivered. Identify each fraudulent item separately and include enough detail for the bureau to locate it; a broad statement that the report is wrong may not clearly identify what you want blocked.
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A block request is targeted to information caused by identity theft. It is not a promise that every unfamiliar entry will be removed, or that action will be immediate. Continue keeping records and check the reports of all three bureaus for the item and any related unfamiliar information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use the general dispute process for non-fraud errors
If your review shows an ordinary inaccuracy rather than identity theft—for example, information that belongs to someone else or is reported incorrectly—use the general credit-report dispute process. The CFPB recommends disputing with both the credit reporting company and the company that supplied the information. Explain what is wrong and why, and include copies of documents that support your position. Keep the originals and records of what you sent.
Keep the two routes distinct. A general dispute challenges inaccurate information; the identity-theft block request asks a bureau to block specified information tied to identity theft and requires the FTC report and proof of identity. If you are unsure whether an item is fraud or an error, ask the named business to investigate and use the FTC recovery plan to guide the next steps rather than assuming the account is yours.
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If a creditor or debt collector continues reporting or trying to collect an account you say is fraudulent, contact the business and refer to your FTC Identity Theft Report and prior correspondence. Ask for relevant account application or transaction records and retain the response. Record dates and details of collection contacts, and keep any notices or letters with your case file.
Use the recovery plan for further steps that fit your situation. Do not assume that sending a report to one business or bureau automatically resolves the issue with every other company or removes the item from every bureau’s file; contact each relevant party and bureau directly, and track the response to each request.
Keep a recovery record as you follow up
A simple folder—digital, paper, or both—can make a multi-party process easier to manage. Keep the FTC report and plan, report pages showing the item, proof of identity copies used for requests, letters, delivery records, and notes from calls. A log can include:
- The date and method of each contact.
- The company or bureau contacted and the department, if known.
- The name of the person you spoke with and any case number.
- What you requested, what the company said it would do, and any response date it gave you.
- Copies of follow-up correspondence and the outcome of each request.
Store sensitive documents securely, and share personal information only through a company’s verified channel. This record helps you identify what remains unresolved and supports follow-up without relying on memory.
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