Lesson · Facts first · Free
Identity theft — the federal recovery playbook, in order
Someone opened accounts in your name. There is a federal playbook for exactly this situation — and step one is a website, not a panic.
The facts
- 01Start at IdentityTheft.gov — the FTC's official recovery site. It generates your Identity Theft Report and a personal step-by-step plan. That report is the legal key that unlocks every other remedy.
- 02With an Identity Theft Report you can invoke FCRA §605B (15 U.S.C. §1681c-2): the bureaus and businesses must BLOCK the fraudulent information from your report — generally within four business days — and it cannot be sold or re-reported.
- 03Freeze your credit at all three bureaus the same day — free by federal law since 2018, for adults and children. A freeze stops new accounts in your name even if the thief has your full SSN.
- 04Place a fraud alert too: an initial alert lasts one year with any bureau (it must notify the other two); an extended seven-year alert requires your FTC Identity Theft Report. A freeze blocks the pull; an alert asks lenders to verify identity — use both after an incident.
- 05Dispute the fraudulent accounts in writing (the 30-day rule applies), close them, and get closure letters that state the account was closed "due to identity theft." Keep every letter — collectors resell dead debts, and paperwork is what kills a zombie account for good.
Sources
- FTC — IdentityTheft.gov (official recovery plan): https://www.identitytheft.gov
- Cornell LII — 15 U.S.C. §1681c-2 (FCRA §605B identity-theft block): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1681c-2
- FTC — Free credit freezes and fraud alerts: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-credit-freezes-fraud-alerts
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Disclaimer: Educational information only — not credit repair, legal, or financial advice. You can always dispute items yourself for free directly with the bureaus.