Identity stolen: what to do right now
Someone is opening accounts, taking loans or using your personal details. Freeze your credit, file an official identity-theft report and contact each company involved. It takes time, but it's fixable.
Do right now
· Within minutes- 🇺🇸 US
Go to IdentityTheft.gov — the FTC's official recovery site builds a personalized plan and pre-fills letters.
More detail
Why this matters: IdentityTheft.gov generates an official FTC Identity Theft Report — the document banks, creditors, and credit bureaus need to remove fraudulent accounts and inquiries from your record. Walk through the questionnaire, then save and print the report. Keep the report number safe; you'll reference it for months.
- 🇺🇸 US
Place a fraud alert with one credit bureau (free — they notify the others). Equifax 1-800-525-6285 · Experian 1-888-397-3742 · TransUnion 1-800-680-7289.
- 🇺🇸 US
If your SSN was compromised: contact the Social Security Administration.
- 🇨🇦 CA
Report identity theft immediately to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
- 🇨🇦 CA
Place fraud alerts with both Canadian credit bureaus separately.
- 🇨🇦 CA
If your Social Insurance Number (SIN) was compromised: contact Service Canada to report misuse.
- 🇿🇦 ZA
Place fraud alerts with the three SA credit bureaus: TransUnion, Experian, and XDS.
- 🇿🇦 ZA
If your SA ID number was exposed, secure your SARS eFiling and government profiles — reset the password and turn on two-factor authentication.
- 🇮🇪 IE
Report at your local Garda station and get the PULSE incident number. Bring printed copies of everything.
Do today
· Within hours- 🇺🇸 US
Pull credit reports from all three bureaus — look for accounts you didn't open, unauthorized hard inquiries, or wrong personal info.
- 🇺🇸 US
Freeze your credit at all three bureaus (free, most effective protection).
- 🇺🇸 US
File an Identity Theft Report at IdentityTheft.gov — print and save the FTC report number.
- 🇺🇸 US
Check for tax fraud and request an IRS Identity Protection PIN.
- 🇨🇦 CA
Pull your credit reports from both Canadian bureaus (free annually) — look for unauthorized accounts or inquiries.
- 🇨🇦 CA
File a report with your local police — get a police report number for disputing fraudulent accounts.
- 🇨🇦 CA
Contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if a business mishandled your data.
- 🇨🇦 CA
Check if anyone filed a tax return using your SIN — contact the CRA to flag identity theft.
- 🇺🇸 US
File a police report with your local department — bring your fraud report number.
- 🇺🇸 US
Contact any companies where fraudulent accounts were opened — use your fraud/police report to dispute them.
- 🇨🇦 CA
Contact any companies where fraudulent accounts were opened — use your fraud/police report to dispute them.
- 🇿🇦 ZA
Sign an affidavit at a Commissioner of Oaths (any SAPS station, post office, or bank manager) describing what happened, when you noticed, and which accounts or IDs are affected. Keep multiple certified copies.
- 🇿🇦 ZA
Lay an OB (case) report at SAPS and email SAPS Cybercrime. Bring or attach the affidavit. Save the OB number — you'll need it for every dispute.
- 🇿🇦 ZA
Submit your affidavit along with your fraud / police (OB) report to every company where fraudulent accounts were opened.
- 🇮🇪 IE
Ask the Central Credit Register for a Notice of Suspected Impersonation and request your free credit report.
More detail
Ireland has no credit freeze. The notice lasts 90 days and can be extended once for up to 90 more, every lender who checks your report sees it, and you're told within 48 hours if anyone requests your report. Your credit report is free.
- 🇮🇪 IE
If your PPS number or MyGovID is involved, call MyGovID support on 0818 927 999. For tax accounts, reset your Revenue myAccount/ROS password and contact Revenue through MyEnquiries.
Do this week
· Within days- 🇺🇸 US
Dispute fraudulent accounts on your credit reports (each bureau has an online dispute process).
- 🇨🇦 CA
Dispute fraudulent accounts on your credit reports (each bureau has an online dispute process).
Review all financial accounts for unauthorized activity.
If medical identity theft is suspected: contact your health insurance and request a benefits statement.
- 🇺🇸 US
If your driver's license was stolen: contact your state DMV.
- 🇺🇸 US
If your passport was stolen: contact the US State Department.
- 🇨🇦 CA
If your driver's license was stolen: contact your provincial Ministry of Transportation (e.g., ServiceOntario, ICBC, SGI).
- 🇨🇦 CA
If your passport was stolen: contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
- 🇨🇦 CA
If your provincial health card was stolen: contact your provincial health authority to have it cancelled and reissued.
- 🇺🇸 US
Consider an identity theft protection service (LifeLock, Aura, IdentityForce, etc.).
- 🇨🇦 CA
Consider an identity theft protection service (LifeLock, Aura, IdentityForce, etc.).
- 🇿🇦 ZA
Obtain a written confirmation letter from each company where fraudulent accounts were opened, stating the account was fraudulent and has been closed or reversed. Keep the originals.
- 🇿🇦 ZA
Apply for free SAFPS Protective Registration. Submit the affidavit and the confirmation letters with your application.
- 🇿🇦 ZA
Dispute fraudulent accounts and inquiries on your credit file with TransUnion, Experian, and XDS — each has an online dispute process.
- 🇮🇪 IE
If an organisation's mishandling of your data caused this, complain to the Data Protection Commission — it's free.
Ongoing protection
· Build the habitKeep your credit frozen / fraud alert active until needed — thaw temporarily when applying for credit.
- 🇺🇸 US
Monitor your credit reports regularly.
- 🇨🇦 CA
Monitor your credit reports regularly.
- 🇿🇦 ZA
Monitor your Experian and TransUnion reports regularly — you're entitled to one free report from each per year.
- 🇿🇦 ZA
Keep all supporting material and any letters you receive from SAFPS. Provide them whenever you apply for credit in future — SAFPS protective registration lasts 5–10 years and lenders will ask.
Watch for tax issues — file your taxes early each year.
Shred sensitive documents before discarding.
Use a P.O. Box or mail-hold service if mail theft is a concern.
Related situations
Bank or Financial Account Compromised
Unauthorized charges or transfers? Call your bank now, freeze the account and dispute the charges with these steps.
Tax-Refund or Government-Benefits Fraud
Tax return already filed or benefits claimed in your name? Report it to the agency and secure your account.
Data Breach Notification Received
Received a data breach notice? Find out what was exposed, change passwords and protect your credit — calmly.
Is this happening at work?
If a business account, company device or customer data is involved, the steps change. Get help built for organizations.