Identity Theft Recovery: The First Week, Using IdentityTheft.gov
Finding a strange account on your credit report, a collection call for a card you never opened, or a bill for something you didn't buy can feel overwhelming. The first week matters most. Here's the order to work in, the free federal tools to use, and what each one actually does.
AT A GLANCE
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Signs it's identity theft, not a mix-up
USA.gov lists these warning signs:
Bills for things you didn't buy
Debt collection calls about accounts you didn't open
Accounts on your credit report that you didn't open
Loan applications that get denied
Mail that stops coming or goes missing
A credit denial letter can be your first clue. When a lender turns you down because of your credit report, it has to tell you which bureau supplied the report and that you can get a free copy from that bureau within 60 days. Get that copy. It shows what the lender saw.
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Day 1: Stop the damage
Close or lock the accounts that were affected. Call the security or fraud department at each bank, card issuer or other company where the thief opened or used an account. Ask them to close it. Save the name of each person you talk to, along with the date and any reference number.
Use only official contact details. The CFPB warns that scammers pretend to be the FTC, the CFPB, police and banks. They call to say someone used your information, then push you to "protect" your money. The FTC never threatens you, never asks you to transfer money, and never tells you to withdraw cash or buy gold. Look up phone numbers on the back of your card, on a statement, or on the official website, and call them yourself.
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Day 1 or 2: Place a fraud alert
A fraud alert makes creditors confirm it's really you before they open a new account, issue another card, or raise a credit limit. You only have to contact one of the three nationwide bureaus. That bureau must notify the other two.
Bureau | Fraud phone line | Fraud mailing address |
|---|---|---|
Equifax | (800) 685-1111 | Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 |
Experian | (888) 397-3742 | Experian, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 |
TransUnion | (888) 909-8872 | TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Department, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016 |
There are three kinds of alerts:
Type | Who it's for | How long it lasts | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|
Initial fraud alert | Anyone who thinks they are, or are about to be, a fraud victim | One year, and you can renew it | One free report from each bureau, on top of your regular free reports |
Extended fraud alert | Victims who have filed an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov | Seven years | Creditors must contact you by your chosen method before approving credit. You get two free reports from each bureau over 12 months and come off prescreened offer lists for five years |
Active-duty alert | Servicemembers on active duty | 12 months, renewable | Off prescreened offer lists for two years. A personal representative can place it for you |
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Day 2: Report it at IdentityTheft.gov
IdentityTheft.gov is the FTC's official site for reporting identity theft and recovering from it. You can also call 1-877-438-4338. When you report there, you get:
An Identity Theft Report, which you need for an extended fraud alert and for blocking fraudulent items
A personalized recovery plan that walks you through the next steps
Sample letters, including one for asking the bureaus to block fraudulent information
The CFPB also recommends reporting the theft to your local police. Keep a copy of any police report with your FTC report.
The Identity Theft Report is the key that unlocks your strongest rights, including the seven-year extended alert and having fraudulent accounts blocked from your credit file.
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Day 3: Freeze your credit
A fraud alert slows thieves down. A security freeze, also called a credit freeze, stops most new creditors from seeing your file until you lift it. Since most businesses won't open credit without checking your report, a freeze can stop a thief from opening new accounts in your name.
What federal law guarantees:
It's free to freeze and unfreeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Each bureau is separate. Unlike a fraud alert, a freeze at one bureau doesn't carry over, so contact all three.
Speed: It's placed within one business day if you ask by phone or online, or three business days after a mailed request arrives. Written confirmation comes within five business days.
Lifting it: Within one hour if you ask by phone or online, or three business days by mail. You can lift it temporarily, for example while you apply for an apartment or a loan, at no cost.
Your scores aren't affected.
Keep the limits in mind. A freeze doesn't stop someone from taking over accounts you already have. The federal free-freeze law also doesn't cover reports pulled for employment, tenant screening or insurance. The CFPB says the paid "credit locks" bureaus sell are no more effective than a free freeze.
Parents and guardians can also freeze the file of a child under 16, or of an incapacitated adult they act for. If no file exists yet, the bureau must create one just to freeze it.
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Days 4–7: Clean up your credit report
Ask for a block
To have fraudulent accounts and debts blocked from your report, send each bureau:
Your Identity Theft Report from IdentityTheft.gov
Proof of your identity
A letter listing the fraudulent debts and information on your report
Bureaus must block that information within four business days after getting your request. They must also tell the companies that reported it that your identity was stolen. Once a creditor has been notified, it can't hand an identity-theft debt over to a debt collector.
A bureau can refuse or remove a block if the information you gave isn't correct or the debt didn't come from identity theft. Use the block process only for fraud. For an ordinary mistake, use a regular credit report dispute.
Dispute with the company too
You can also dispute directly with the company that reported the account. Under 12 CFR 1022.43, a furnisher must investigate a direct dispute about whether you're liable for an account, including claims of identity theft or fraud. A police report or identity theft affidavit counts as the kind of supporting document it can ask for. Send the dispute to the address on your credit report, or to the dispute address the company gave you.
Answer collectors in writing
If a collector calls about a debt the thief ran up, ask for the validation notice. Then dispute the debt in writing within the 30-day window and include your Identity Theft Report.
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Special cases
Tax identity theft: If you think someone filed a tax return in your name and the IRS hasn't contacted you about it, USA.gov points to IRS Form 14039, the Identity Theft Affidavit.
Stolen mail: Missing mail is a warning sign. Collect your mail daily and put it on hold when you're away.
Servicemembers: Use an active-duty alert. Your legal assistance office can help with disputes.
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First-week checklist
☐ Fraud departments called, accounts closed, and names and reference numbers written down
☐ Fraud alert placed with one bureau, which tells the others
☐ Report filed at IdentityTheft.gov, with the Identity Theft Report and recovery plan saved
☐ Police report filed, with a copy kept
☐ Credit frozen at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, with confirmations saved
☐ Free reports reviewed and fraudulent items listed
☐ Block letters mailed to each bureau with the report and proof of ID
☐ Direct disputes sent to the companies that reported fraudulent accounts
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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More help
Related guides
Official sources
Last checked: October 30, 2026. Alert, freeze, block and scam guidance come from CFPB pages (identity theft page reviewed Jul 30, 2026). Warning signs, the FTC phone number and Form 14039 come from USA.gov. Furnisher dispute duties come from 12 CFR 1022.43.
Bureau phone numbers and addresses come from the CFPB and can change. Check them on each bureau's official site before you mail anything.
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