Contact the affected company’s fraud department through a verified channel and report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan. Review your credit reports, consider a credit freeze or fraud alert, and follow the instructions for correcting fraudulent accounts. Report unauthorized bank activity promptly rather than waiting for the recovery paperwork.
Contact the affected company and protect access
Use the company’s official website, app, or a known statement to reach its fraud department. Explain which account or transaction you did not authorize and ask what steps secure access and begin an investigation. If an existing online account was compromised, change its password through the verified site and enable available multi-factor authentication.
A data-breach notice means information may have been exposed; it does not establish that someone opened an account with it. Keep the notice, check the recommended protective steps, and distinguish possible exposure from actual misuse in any report.
Official guidance: FTC: What To Know About Identity Theft.
For money already withdrawn through unauthorized debit activity, use the bank-dispute steps immediately. You can work on the identity recovery plan while the bank handles that report.
Use IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan
The FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov service provides a free recovery plan, guidance for different types of identity theft, and letters or forms for affected businesses and reporting companies. Describe what happened using facts you can support. Save the report and follow the steps for the accounts involved.
Official guidance: FTC: What To Know About Identity Theft.
Keep a secure copy of your report, company case numbers, and the documents each recipient requests. An FTC report does not automatically notify every creditor, remove an account, or refund a transaction; follow the plan’s company-specific steps.
Do not pay someone merely because they promise guaranteed deletion or recovery. Use independently verified official resources, and never give a caller a login code to “finish” your report.
Choose between a credit freeze and fraud alert
| Tool | How it works | How to request it |
|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Restricts access to your credit file and helps prevent new credit accounts; free to place and lift | Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately |
| Initial fraud alert | Tells lenders to take steps to verify your identity; lasts one year and is free | Contact one of the three bureaus; it must notify the other two |
Official guidance: FTC: Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts.
A freeze does not fix an existing fraudulent account or stop misuse of a bank account already open. If you need a lender to access a frozen file, arrange a temporary lift through the bureau. Keep your access information secure.
The FTC also explains extended alerts for people who have an identity theft report. Choose the tool that fits your situation using the current official instructions.
Track each account through correction
| Entry | Details to record |
|---|---|
| Company and account | Business name and a partial identifier for your working log |
| Problem | Fraudulent new account, existing account takeover, or incorrect reporting |
| Report | Date, official channel, and case number |
| Documents | What the company requested and when you sent it |
| Result | Written closure, correction, or remaining issue |
Keep sensitive identifying documents separate from a summary you may share. Follow each recipient’s secure submission instructions; do not post your full recovery packet in public.
If a reporting company still lists inaccurate information, use the credit report dispute guide alongside the identity-theft process. If a collector contacts you, address the collection notice and its deadlines separately.
Verify the correction instead of relying on a closed case label
An account that still appears after a fraud review
Your letter dated [date] states that account [partial identifier] was opened fraudulently and closed. My credit report dated [date] still lists the balance. Please explain whether you sent the correction to the reporting companies and what further action you need from me. I have attached the closure letter and the affected report entry.
Check later statements and reports for the specific correction. Keep a record of new collection contacts or accounts that appear after the original report. Use the recovery plan to update your next steps.
If a company’s response leaves a financial-reporting or collection issue unresolved, review the CFPB’s complaint instructions. A recovery report or agency complaint does not replace a response to court papers or an urgent bank notification.
Official guidance: CFPB: Submit a complaint about a financial product or service.
Common questions
Do I need to pay to report identity theft?
No. The FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov reporting and recovery-plan service is free.
Is a credit freeze the same as a fraud alert?
No. A freeze restricts access to the credit file; an alert tells lenders to verify identity. The request process differs as well.
Will freezing my credit remove fraudulent accounts?
No. You still need to contact the affected businesses and follow the recovery and reporting-correction procedures.
Keep going
Your next useful guide
Credit report errors
Identify a credit report error, organize supporting records, dispute it with the reporting company and furnisher, and follow up on the investigation.
Problem guideDebt collection disputes
Verify a debt collector, review the validation notice, gather payment or identity records, and prepare a written dispute about a debt you do not owe.
Problem guideUnauthorized debit charges
Report debit-card charges you did not authorize, document the transactions, follow bank dispute instructions, and review the investigation outcome.
Preparation toolEvidence checklist
Organize receipts, messages, dates and billing records before making a consumer complaint. Includes a checklist, evidence table and follow-up log.
Sources and page information
Official source links checked September 24, 2026. Requirements can change; use the relevant agency’s current instructions.
- FTC: What To Know About Identity Theft
- FTC: Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
- CFPB: Submit a complaint about a financial product or service
Prepared with AI assistance. Examples and worksheets are illustrative. This is general information, not legal advice. We do not submit complaints, determine eligibility, or guarantee a result.