How to File an FTC Identity Theft Report (and What to Do With It)

An FTC identity theft report is the official record you create when you report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov. Filing is free and takes place online (or by phone). Once you submit, the site gives you a personalized recovery plan, and your report can be used to ask credit bureaus to block fraudulent information, place an extended fraud alert and dispute accounts that aren’t yours.

This guide walks through what to have ready, how filing works, what you get back and how to put the report to work. It’s general information about a US federal process, not legal advice.

What an FTC identity theft report is

IdentityTheft.gov is the federal government’s central site for reporting identity theft and planning recovery. When you file there, you describe what happened, and the site produces two things:

• Your FTC Identity Theft Report. A document listing the fraudulent accounts or activity, signed by you under penalty of perjury. It functions as an official “identity theft report” for many of the rights US law gives victims.
• A personalized recovery plan. A checklist of next steps based on what you reported, often with prefilled letters you can send to credit bureaus, businesses and debt collectors.

Your report is also shared with law enforcement through the FTC’s secure database, which agencies use in investigations. The FTC doesn’t typically investigate individual cases or contact the thief on your behalf, so the report’s main value to you is as proof and as a recovery tool.

When you should file one

File an FTC report when someone has used your personal information without permission to do things like:

• Open a credit card, loan, phone plan or utility account in your name.
• Make purchases or withdrawals on an account you didn’t authorize, if the case involves your identity.
• File a tax return or claim benefits using your Social Security number.
• Get medical care or insurance using your identity.
• Give your name to police when arrested, or rent property using your details.

If a single card was used fraudulently and your bank has handled it, you may not need an FTC report. It becomes important when new accounts were opened, when fraud shows up on your credit report, or when a business asks for proof that you’re a victim.

What to have ready before you start

Gathering these first makes the report more complete, and more useful later.

• Your personal details: name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and contact details.
• A list of every fraudulent account or activity you know about: company names, account numbers if available, dates and amounts.
• Your credit reports from all three bureaus, pulled free from AnnualCreditReport.com, with suspicious entries marked.
• Any letters, bills, collection notices or emails connected to the fraud.
• Details of anyone you suspect, if you know who did it.
• Notes on companies you’ve already contacted: who you spoke to and when.

Don’t wait until you have everything. You can file with what you know now and update the report later if you create an account.

How to file your FTC identity theft report

1. Go to IdentityTheft.gov yourself. Type the address; don’t follow a link from an email or text. The site is run by the FTC and filing is free.
2. Choose to report identity theft. The site asks a series of questions about what happened, such as which kinds of accounts were affected.
3. Enter details of each fraudulent account or activity. Include as much as you know. You can add more later.
4. Review and submit. Check the information carefully, because you’re confirming it’s true.
5. Create an account, or save your report. The site offers an optional account. With one, you can return to update your report, track progress through your recovery plan and print letters. Without one, you generally can’t make changes after you leave, so save or print your report and plan before closing the page.
6. Save your report number and a PDF copy. You’ll send copies to credit bureaus and businesses.

If you’d rather not file online, the FTC also takes identity theft reports by phone at 1-877-438-4338. An online account gives you the most control over updates and letters.

What your recovery plan typically includes

The plan adapts to what you reported. For most people, it covers steps like these:

• Calling the companies where fraud happened and asking them to close or freeze accounts.
• Placing a fraud alert with one credit bureau (which notifies the other two), and considering a credit freeze with each bureau separately.
• Asking the credit bureaus to block fraudulent information, using your report.
• Sending dispute letters to businesses and debt collectors.
• Specific steps for tax, benefits, medical or criminal identity theft where they apply.

Work through it at your own pace. Most of it is routine, and the prefilled letters save a lot of time.

How to use your FTC report

With the credit bureaus

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can use an identity theft report to ask each credit bureau to block fraudulent information from your credit report. Send the bureau a copy of your FTC report, proof of your identity and a letter identifying the information that resulted from the theft. Bureaus can decline in limited cases, for example if they believe the request is an error or was made fraudulently, but a well-documented request is usually handled.

Your report also qualifies you for an extended fraud alert, which lasts seven years, compared with one year for an initial alert. You contact one bureau, and it notifies the other two.

With businesses and lenders

Send the company where the fraudulent account was opened a copy of your report with a dispute letter. Ask them to close the account, stop reporting it to the bureaus and confirm in writing that you aren’t responsible. You also have the right to request copies of business records related to the fraudulent account, such as applications, which can help show what happened.

With debt collectors

If collectors contact you about a debt that isn’t yours, send them a copy of your report and a letter disputing the debt. Don’t pay a debt you don’t owe to make the calls stop.

With the IRS and other agencies

Tax-related identity theft needs its own steps with the IRS, and IdentityTheft.gov can help with those when you report it. Our guide to IRS identity theft covers the process, and if your number itself is the problem, see social security identity theft.

Do you also need a police report?

For most victims, the FTC report is enough. Some situations still call for a police report: a creditor or debt collector specifically asks for one, you know the thief, someone used your name in a criminal matter, or your insurer requires it. Bring your FTC report, ID, proof of address and any evidence. Our guide to getting a police report for identity theft explains how to ask for one and what to bring.

A worked example

This is an illustrative scenario, not a real client. Renata gets a collection letter for a store credit card she never opened. She pulls her three credit reports and finds the card plus an unfamiliar auto loan inquiry at one bureau.

She calls the store’s fraud department, then files at IdentityTheft.gov, listing the card and the inquiry. She creates an account so she can update the report. Her recovery plan tells her to place a fraud alert and freeze her credit, and gives her prefilled letters.

She sends the bureau reporting the card a blocking request with her FTC report and ID, and sends the store a dispute letter with a copy of the report. Two weeks later she finds a second fraudulent phone account, adds it to her FTC report through her account, and repeats the process for that carrier. She keeps a dated log of every letter and call.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Filing without saving your report. If you skip the account and close the page, you may not be able to retrieve it. Download or print it immediately.
• Using a look-alike site. Some sites imitate IdentityTheft.gov or charge to “file for you”. The real site is free.
• Listing only the first account you found. Check all three credit reports first, and update the report as you find more.
• Sending originals. Send copies of your report and documents, and keep the originals.
• Not following up. Keep a log and follow up in writing if a company or bureau doesn’t respond.
• Trusting callers who say they’re from the FTC. The FTC won’t call demanding payment or asking for your bank details. Scammers target people who’ve recently reported fraud.

After the report: the reputation side

Identity theft can leave traces beyond your credit file, such as fake profiles, posts sent from hacked accounts or collection records that show up in searches for your name. Our step-by-step guide on what to do if your identity is stolen covers the full recovery, and if damaging content is showing up when people search for you, our personal reputation management service can help.

Frequently asked questions

Is filing an FTC identity theft report free?

Yes. Reporting at IdentityTheft.gov is free. Be wary of any site or service that charges to file the report for you, since you can do it yourself in the same place.

Is an FTC report the same as a police report?

No, but for many purposes it can be used in the same way. Your FTC report can serve as an identity theft report for credit bureau blocks and extended fraud alerts. Some creditors, insurers or situations still require a police report as well.

Can I update my FTC report later?

Yes, if you created an account on IdentityTheft.gov when you filed. You can sign in to add new accounts or details and print updated letters. Without an account, you’ll generally need to file a new report.

Will the FTC investigate my case?

The FTC typically doesn’t investigate individual identity theft cases. It shares reports with law enforcement agencies, which use them in investigations. Your report’s main value to you is as proof of the theft and as a starting point for recovery.

How long does it take to file an FTC identity theft report?

It depends on how many accounts are involved. Having your credit reports and a list of fraudulent accounts ready makes it faster, and you can add more information later if you create an account.