TheCyberNews

The 10-Minute Identity Theft Recovery Guide

A step-by-step checklist of exactly who to call and what to freeze if your identity is stolen.

🚨 IMMEDIATE ACTIONS (Do these first)

1. Freeze Your Credit Reports

Stop criminals from opening new credit cards or loans in your name. You must contact all three major credit bureaus individually:

  • Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 (or Equifax.com)
  • Experian: 1-888-397-3742 (or Experian.com)
  • TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872 (or TransUnion.com)

2. Contact Your Primary Bank

  • Call the fraud number on the back of your debit/credit cards.
  • Ask them to freeze your current cards and issue new ones with different numbers.
  • Ask to place a “Fraud Alert” on your checking account.

3. Secure Your Email

If hackers have your email, they can reset passwords for all your other accounts.

  • Log into your primary email (Gmail, Outlook).
  • Change the password immediately.
  • Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

đź“„ SECONDARY ACTIONS (Within 48 hours)

4. File an Identity Theft Report

  • Go to IdentityTheft.gov (The official FTC website).
  • Fill out the report. This creates an official “Identity Theft Report” which you will need to prove to debt collectors that you didn’t incur the fraudulent charges.

5. Review Your Credit Reports

  • Go to AnnualCreditReport.com (The only federally authorized free credit report site).
  • Download your reports from all three bureaus.
  • Highlight any accounts or addresses you do not recognize.

6. File a Police Report

  • Go to your local police station with a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report, a government ID, and proof of your address.
  • Ask to file a report. Get a copy of the police report; banks may require this to clear fraudulent charges.

A Note on “Credit Monitoring” Services: You do not need to pay $20/month for identity theft protection like LifeLock. Freezing your credit at the three bureaus is 100% free by federal law and is much more effective than monitoring, because a freeze prevents the account from being opened in the first place.