If someone used your personal information without permission, report it to the company involved and to the Federal Trade Commission. At the same time, secure your accounts and credit files. A police report can help, and some situations require one, but it isn't the first step for every identity theft complaint.

Start at IdentityTheft.gov for a free FTC identity theft report and a personalized recovery plan. The report gives you a useful record of what happened. It won't, by itself, close a bank account, reverse a transaction, remove fraudulent credit entries, guarantee a refund, or guarantee a criminal prosecution.

The steps below are for consumers in the United States. Police, DMV, tax, benefits, and other government procedures vary by state and locality.

Start with these steps

If the theft is still happening, secure your accounts before spending time on every form.

1. Contact the affected bank, card issuer, lender, or service provider. Use the number on its official website, card, or statement. Ask it to block cards, secure the account, and investigate unauthorized transactions or applications.
2. Change your email password first. Then change passwords for banking, payment, shopping, and social media accounts. Turn on multifactor authentication and remove unfamiliar recovery addresses, phone numbers, devices, and active sessions.
3. Freeze your credit with all three nationwide bureaus if you want the strongest barrier against new credit accounts. You must place the freeze separately with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
4. File an FTC report at IdentityTheft.gov. Save the report number, recovery plan, and affidavit if the system generates one.
5. Save evidence. Keep statements, account notices, emails, text messages, application details, screenshots, and case numbers.
6. Call local law enforcement through its nonemergency number when a police report is needed, an identity document was misused, or the matter involves an arrest, citation, threats, or another crime needing immediate attention. Call 911 for an immediate safety emergency.

Don't click a link or call a number from a suspicious message. Find the organization's contact information independently.

1. File the FTC identity theft report

IdentityTheft.gov is the main federal starting point for a U.S. identity theft complaint. The system can cover new accounts, account takeovers, tax-related identity theft, medical identity theft, employment fraud, and other misuse of personal information.

How to file

1. Open IdentityTheft.gov.
2. Follow the prompts and describe what you know.
3. List each affected account, company, date, amount, application, or notice.
4. Provide supporting information if the system requests it.
5. Save or print the report number and personalized recovery plan.
6. Keep the Identity Theft Affidavit with your records if one is provided.

You don't need every detail before you file. Use the facts available to you and add information to your notes as it arrives. Don't guess about the thief's identity.

The FTC report can help you explain the problem to a creditor, debt collector, financial institution, or government agency. Those organizations may still ask for other documents, including a police report, identification, proof of address, or a written dispute.

2. Notify every company involved

The FTC report doesn't close an account or reverse a charge. Contact each affected organization directly, even if you already filed with the FTC.

Ask the fraud department to:

• Freeze or close a fraudulent account.
• Stop additional transactions or applications.
• Remove an unfamiliar email address, phone number, or mailing address.
• Reset credentials and sign out other devices if someone took over an existing account.
• Issue a replacement card, account number, or other credential when appropriate.
• Confirm in writing that it is investigating.
• Explain how to dispute each unauthorized charge or account.

The payment method affects the dispute process. Credit card billing disputes, debit card transactions, electronic fund transfers, wires, prepaid accounts, and peer-to-peer payments can have different procedures and notice requirements. Tell the company exactly how the transaction occurred, then follow its instructions promptly.

If a business opened an account in your name, request the application and transaction records connected to the identity theft. The FTC's guidance on records related to identity theft explains that the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires businesses to provide victims, or law enforcement at the victim's request, with relevant records when the required request and documentation are supplied.

Send copies rather than originals. Keep a log with the date, representative's name, case number, and promised follow-up.

3. Get a police report when it supports the case

You don't need a police report for every identity theft complaint. It can be useful when:

• A creditor, bank, insurer, or government agency asks for one.
• You want an extended fraud alert.
• Someone used your driver's license, passport, or another identity document.
• You know or can identify the suspected thief.
• Your identity was used during an arrest, traffic stop, court matter, or other law enforcement encounter.
• The report will support a dispute or an investigation.

Call the local department's nonemergency line or visit the station. Bring:

• Government-issued identification.
• Your FTC report and recovery plan.
• Bank or credit statements showing unauthorized activity.
• Letters from creditors or debt collectors.
• Account numbers, application dates, transaction amounts, and contact information.
• Relevant emails, text messages, screenshots, and other evidence.

Ask for an incident number and a copy of the report, or instructions for obtaining it. Some departments accept online reports. Others require an in-person visit or refer you to the jurisdiction where the incident occurred. The LAPD identity theft information illustrates one local process; it isn't a nationwide rule.

If an officer says the department won't take the report, ask whether another reporting method or jurisdiction applies. Write down the response. You can then ask the creditor or agency whether it will accept your FTC report and other evidence instead.

Police report narrative template

Adapt this sample to your circumstances:

I am reporting unauthorized use of my personal information. On [date], I discovered [account, charge, application, document, or record] that I did not authorize. The company or agency is [name]. The relevant date and amount are [details]. I contacted [company] and received case number [number]. Attached are my FTC report, statements, notices, messages, and identification. I request an incident number and a copy of this report.

A police report records your complaint. It doesn't require the department to make an arrest or mean that a prosecutor will bring charges.

4. Decide between a fraud alert and a credit freeze

These tools address new-credit risk, but they aren't interchangeable.

You can request an initial fraud alert without first filing a police report. A credit freeze is also available without an identity theft report and is free through the three nationwide credit bureaus. Use each bureau's official website or contact method rather than a paid intermediary.

A fraud alert may fit a situation in which you suspect an application was attempted and want lenders to verify your identity. A freeze is usually the stronger choice after exposure of a Social Security number or other information used to open credit. You can use both, but neither one closes an existing account or corrects inaccurate information already on a credit report.

5. Review and dispute your credit reports

Get reports from all three bureaus through the official AnnualCreditReport.com. Check for:

• Accounts or inquiries you don't recognize.
• Incorrect addresses, phone numbers, or employers.
• Collection accounts tied to fraudulent accounts.
• Unexpected changes to balances or payment history.
• Credit inquiries that don't match your applications.

Dispute each inaccurate item with the bureau reporting it and, when appropriate, with the company that supplied the information. Include:

• A clear statement that the account or transaction resulted from identity theft.
• The creditor's name and the account number, showing only enough digits to identify it.
• The correction or deletion you want.
• A copy of your FTC report or police report, if available.
• Copies of statements, notices, and identification documents requested by the recipient.
• A copy of your dispute and proof of delivery.

Don't send your only copy of an identity document. Redact unrelated account numbers and other sensitive information the recipient doesn't need.

Credit bureaus generally investigate a dispute within 30 days, although limited exceptions can affect the response period. Read the result carefully. If an item remains and your evidence supports the dispute, ask what additional documentation is required and submit a follow-up. After creating a clear paper trail, you can also complain to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your state attorney general.

A credit-report dispute and a fraud claim are separate matters. Removing an account from a credit report doesn't necessarily resolve the underlying bank loss, debt, tax issue, or criminal record.

Handle specialized forms of identity theft

Tax identity theft

If the IRS sends a notice about a suspicious return or identity verification, follow the instructions in that notice. Don't automatically send Form 14039 when the notice directs you to use another verification process.

If you suspect that someone filed a federal tax return using your information and you haven't received an IRS notice, review the current instructions for IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. Keep a copy of everything you submit. An IRS identity theft report addresses federal tax administration; it doesn't replace reports to your bank, the FTC, or local police.

Ask the IRS about an Identity Protection PIN if you qualify. Be cautious about anyone promising to obtain a refund or resolve the case immediately for an upfront fee.

Social Security number misuse

Report suspected Social Security fraud or misuse through the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General. If the problem concerns your earnings record or benefits, contact the Social Security Administration too.

Review your earnings and benefits information through your secure SSA account when available. An FTC report alone won't correct an SSA record or restore benefits.

Driver's license or state identification fraud

Contact the state DMV or equivalent agency that issued the document. Ask whether you need a replacement license, a fraud notation, a corrected driving record, or additional identity verification. Requirements differ by state.

If the physical license was stolen, include that fact in your police report. A credit freeze won't protect a driver's license record.

Medical identity theft

Contact the provider, hospital, insurer, or medical billing office showing the incorrect service. Request an itemized statement, identify the treatment you didn't receive, and ask for the error to be corrected in your medical record and billing file.

If a healthcare organization mishandled protected health information, a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights may be another option. That complaint doesn't replace a billing dispute with the provider or insurer.

Online and cybercrime

Report internet-enabled fraud or unauthorized online activity to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. Continue reporting the identity theft to the FTC and, when appropriate, local police. An IC3 complaint doesn't place a credit freeze, cancel an account, or guarantee an investigation or recovery of money.

Employment, benefits, and other government records

Contact the employer, benefits program, licensing agency, or government office named in the notice. Ask which fraud unit handles the matter and what evidence it needs. Keep that agency's case number separate from your FTC and police report numbers.

Keep a recovery file

Use one secure folder, physical or encrypted, for:

• A timeline of discovery dates and calls.
• FTC, police, bank, bureau, and agency case numbers.
• Copies of disputes and supporting documents.
• Dates when you placed or lifted credit freezes.
• Written responses and promised follow-up dates.
• A list of accounts that were closed, corrected, or remain under review.

Check bank and card accounts frequently while the matter is open. Review all three credit reports regularly through AnnualCreditReport.com. Renew a one-year fraud alert if necessary, and remember that a freeze stays in place until you lift it.

If a debt collector contacts you about a fraudulent account, tell the collector that the debt resulted from identity theft. Ask for the required validation information, dispute the debt in writing using the collector's instructions, and keep copies of the notice and your response. Don't ignore collection notices simply because the account is fraudulent.

Common questions

Do I need a police report before filing with the FTC?

No. You can file with the FTC first. A creditor, agency, or bureau may later ask for a police report, especially when you request an extended fraud alert or need to document a stolen identity document.

Is an FTC identity theft report the same as a police report?

No. The FTC report is a federal consumer complaint and recovery record. A police report comes from a law enforcement agency. Some organizations accept the FTC report, while others request both.

Should I use a fraud alert or a freeze?

A freeze is the stronger choice when you want to restrict new credit applications after personal information has been exposed. An initial fraud alert warns lenders and asks them to verify applications. Neither tool detects or stops an account takeover.

Will filing a complaint get my money back?

Not automatically. Refund and liability decisions depend on the company, payment method, facts, and applicable law. Contact the payment provider quickly, follow its dispute process, and keep evidence of every notice and response.

What if the police won't take my report?

Ask whether the department offers an online process or whether another jurisdiction handles the incident. Record the response and ask the affected company what alternative documentation it accepts. You can still file with the FTC and dispute the fraudulent activity directly.

What should I do if my identity was used during an arrest?

Contact the law enforcement agency and court connected to the record as soon as possible. Ask what procedure your state uses to challenge mistaken identity and obtain documentation. A credit freeze or FTC report alone won't correct a criminal record.

Contact the affected company and file at IdentityTheft.gov first. Save each confirmation number and case note before moving on to the next agency.