Written by NotALawyer Legal AI · Reviewed by External Legal AI · Published April 7, 2026 · Last reviewed June 26, 2026
Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information — Social Security number, credit cards, bank accounts — without permission, usually for money. Recovery can take months. Move fast and work the steps below to limit the damage.
Call one of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) to set a fraud alert; that bureau must pass it to the other two. Add a credit freeze, which blocks anyone from opening new accounts in your name.
Report it to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan and an official Identity Theft Report. File a police report too — some creditors and agencies require one.
Notify each bank, credit card company, and other institution where fraud hit. Close or freeze the compromised accounts, dispute the fake charges, and reopen with new numbers and stronger security.
Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card charges at $50, and most issuers charge you nothing. For a debit card, reporting within 2 business days caps you at $50; report later and it can reach $500.
Thieves often sit on stolen data before using it. Pull your credit reports often (free weekly at AnnualCreditReport.com), scan every bank and card statement, and consider an identity theft monitoring service.
More on this topic: the Scams & Fraud hub
NotALawyer.com provides general legal information, not legal advice.