If you think someone is using your identity to commit crimes, we recommend that you act immediately by following our guidelines below, and then proceed to our Report, Recover and Reinforce sections for further assistance.

Some Immediate Action Steps to Take

  • Download the ID Theft Help App from the Identity Theft Resource Center for free help with identity theft cases.
  • Visit IdentityTheft.gov from the Federal Trade Commission to file a report and create a personalized plan for recovery.
  • If your driver’s license or personal ID is lost or stolen, immediately file a police report to prevent it from being used fraudulently.
  • Report lost or stolen driver’s licenses to your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and ask them to place a flag on your license number.
  • Ask your local law enforcement agency to take fingerprints and send them along with a photograph and any photo identification documents (driver’s license, passport, etc.) to the arresting law enforcement agency.
    • **Please note, most law enforcement agencies will only accept this information in person, or by submission from another law enforcement agency, so work with your local law enforcement agency throughout this process.
  • Once the law enforcement agencies have confirmed a case of criminal identity theft, work closely with the court to petition a name change on the arrest records.

**Idtheftcenter.org

Report

Reporting identity theft incidents to IdentityTheft.gov is very important! The more national reporting data that is collected, the better the chance law enforcement has to catch the criminals and decrease online crime. Although IdentityTheft.gov does not resolve individual complaints directly, they will make your report available to local, state and other law enforcement partners. Please read the IdentityTheft.gov privacy policy here. (If you believe that you’ve received a phishing email, please forward the email directly to reportphishing@apwg.org.)

Recover

These resources have been gathered, selected and vetted to help simplify the process of recovering after a cybercrime incident has taken place. You may need to contact organizations outside Fraudsupport.org. Results will vary depending on your circumstances.

Reinforce

Once you have notified the appropriate organizations and you are on the road to recovery, it is time to reinforce your cybersecurity using these resources and tools.

Resources for Children, Teens,
and Young AdultsResources for Older Adults
and CaregiversResources for Military Personnel
and Families

Implement Preventive Measures

  • Keep your driver’s license and personal information secure at all times.
  • Create strong passwords. Learn how from ConnectSafely.org.
  • Always enable a two-step/factor verification – which requires an additional code to log in.
  • Shred all documents that include your Social Security number or other personal information before discarding them.
  • Download our Six Steps to Better Security PDF.