Urgent Action
Someone has stolen my identity
How to stop someone opening accounts in your name, prove who you are, and undo the damage already done.
Identity theft is slower and stranger than most fraud. People often find out months later, through a refused loan or a bill for something they never bought. If that is how you found out, the important thing is that it stops here.
The order that matters
Freeze your credit with every credit bureau in your country
A freeze blocks new applications. It does not affect your existing accounts, your credit score, or your ability to use cards you already have. You can lift it temporarily when you genuinely need credit.
Get your credit report and read every line
You are looking for accounts, addresses and enquiries you do not recognise. This is how you find out the full extent rather than guessing.
Report it to the police or your national fraud body
Identity theft is one of the cases where a report number does real work. Banks and credit providers frequently require one before they will remove fraudulent accounts.
Contact every affected provider in writing
Say clearly that the account is fraudulent and that you are a victim of identity theft. Ask them to close it and to remove it from your credit file. Keep copies of everything.
Secure the accounts you still control
New passwords and two-factor authentication on your email first, then banking. Identity theft often starts with a compromised inbox.
Set a reminder to check your credit report again
Three months, then six. Fraudulent accounts surface at different times, and the file is the only place you will see them.
Why the freeze comes first
Every other step deals with damage already done. The freeze is the only one that stops new damage while you work. Someone with your details will keep applying for things, and each new account is weeks of paperwork for you. Closing that door is worth more than anything else you can do today.
When they say you are the fraudster
This happens, and it is the part people find hardest. The bank has a record with your details, so their first assumption is that you are trying to get out of a debt.
- Ask for the fraud team specifically, not general customer service. They are trained for this and general staff are not.
- Give them your police or fraud report number early in the conversation. It changes how the call goes.
- Put everything in writing as well as saying it. Verbal accounts vanish, letters go on file.
- Ask for their formal complaints process if you are refused, then escalate to your national financial ombudsman or regulator. These decisions are overturned regularly.
Does freezing my credit hurt my credit score?
No. A freeze is not visible to lenders as a negative signal and has no effect on your score. It simply prevents new credit being opened until you lift it. Lifting it is usually instant and free.
How long does this take to sort out?
Honestly, months rather than weeks, and it comes in waves rather than one continuous effort. That is not a reflection on how well you are handling it. The systems involved are slow, and each provider has to be dealt with separately.
They have my identity documents. Can I do anything about that?
Yes. Many countries let you report a document as compromised, and some let you replace it with a new number. Contact the issuing authority for your passport, driving licence or national identity number and ask what protections exist. Doing this also creates an official record that supports later disputes.
This is one of the crimes where being organised genuinely changes the outcome. It is tedious, and it works.
This happened to them too
First-hand accounts from people who went through the same thing.
I clicked a fake Fair Work email and my account emailed our suppliers
“Honestly, I still feel like a total muppet over this. I was the restaurant manager of a massive buffet in Sydney CBD.…”
My data was in the Qantas breach and I was too embarrassed to ask
“I was just informed by our cyber team that my data is part of the Qantas breach. I honestly have no idea what to do or…”
My retired uncle sent 1.5 million shillings to a woman who did not exist
“My uncle just retired from customs and this still hurts to think about because he’s not even someone who uses the…”