Identity theft is one of the top three consumer complaints to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC's annual look at its Consumer Sentinel Network database of complaints found that the agency received more than 5.7 million complaints overall in calendar year 2021, with 25% related to identity theft.

If you are a victim of identity theft, take these steps immediately:

  • Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, ask for a free copy of your credit report, and review those reports for evidence of accounts you didn't open. Fraud unit contacts are:

    Equifax
    Visit: equifax.com
    Call: 1.800.525.6285

    Experian
    Visit: experian.com
    Call: 1.888.397.3742

    TransUnion
    Visit: transunion.com
    Call: 1.800.680.7289
    Email: fvad@transunion.com
  • Close or transfer accounts that have been tampered with or used fraudulently. Contact all financial institutions and lenders, credit card issuers, utility companies, and the Social Security Administration to notify them of the fraud. Follow up each conversation with a letter.
  • File a report with law enforcement and insist on getting a copy of the report or the report number.

File a complaint with the FTC. Visit ftc.gov and search for “Identify Theft” for more information.