Someone Stole Your Identity — Your First 24 Hours

If you've just found out someone is using your name, your details, or your identity — take a breath. This is fixable. It's going to take some effort, but the faster you move, the more you limit the damage. Let's walk through it.

## What this guide covers

- What to do immediately to stop the bleeding - How to lock down your credit and finances - How to start building a paper trail - What to expect over the coming weeks

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## The First Hour

### 1. Confirm what's actually happened

Identity theft shows up in different ways. You might have noticed:

- Transactions on your bank or credit card you didn't make - Bills or letters for accounts you never opened - Calls from debt collectors about debts that aren't yours - A tax return filed in your name that you didn't submit - Alerts from a credit monitoring service about new accounts

Whatever tipped you off, write it down. Date, time, what you noticed. This becomes important later when you're filing reports.

### 2. Contact your bank and financial institutions

Call your bank, credit card companies, and any financial institution where you have accounts. Tell them you're a victim of identity theft and ask them to:

- Flag your accounts for suspicious activity - Freeze or close any accounts that have been tampered with - Issue new cards and account numbers where needed

You'll find your bank's fraud number on the back of your card or inside your banking app. Don't use a number from an email or text — go straight to the source.

### 3. Place a fraud alert or credit freeze

This is one of the most important steps. A fraud alert tells lenders to verify your identity before opening new credit in your name. A credit freeze goes further — it blocks anyone (including you) from opening new credit until you lift it.

How you do this depends on your country. In some places, you contact credit bureaus directly. In others, there's a government service.

> **Not sure where to start?** Visit our [Resources page] to find the right credit bureau or reporting authority for your country.

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## Within the First 24 Hours

### 4. Change your passwords

If someone has your identity, they may also have access to your online accounts. Change your passwords on:

- Email accounts (these are the master key to everything else) - Banking and financial apps - Government or tax portals - Any account that stores personal information

Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever you can.

> **Need help with this?** Check out our guide: *Set Up 2FA in 5 Minutes (And Why You Should)*

### 5. Check your credit report

Pull your credit report and look for anything you don't recognise — accounts you didn't open, enquiries you didn't make, addresses you've never lived at. Make note of everything suspicious.

How you access your credit report depends on where you live. Some countries offer free annual reports, others have online portals.

> **Find your country's credit reporting options on our [Resources page].**

### 6. Start documenting everything

From this point on, keep a record of every call you make, every email you send, and every report you file. Write down:

- Who you spoke to (name and department) - The date and time - What they told you - Any reference or case numbers

This might feel tedious, but this paper trail protects you if things get complicated — and with identity theft, they sometimes do.

### 7. File a report

Report the identity theft to your local police and your country's cyber or fraud reporting authority. Some places let you do this online, others require a phone call or visit.

A police report isn't just for catching the criminal — it's documentation you may need when disputing fraudulent accounts or charges.

> **Ready to report?** Visit our [Resources page] to find the right contacts for your country.

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## What to Expect Next

### It doesn't resolve overnight

Identity theft recovery can take weeks or months. Fraudulent accounts need to be investigated and closed. Credit reports need to be corrected. This is frustrating, but it's normal.

### Keep monitoring

Check your bank statements, credit reports, and online accounts regularly for the next several months. Set up transaction alerts on your bank accounts and login notifications on your online accounts if you haven't already.

### Know your rights

In many countries, you have legal rights as a victim of identity theft. You may not be liable for fraudulent debts. You may be entitled to free credit monitoring. The specifics vary by location, but it's worth knowing what protections apply to you.

> **Find country-specific rights and resources on our [Resources page].**

### You didn't cause this

Identity theft can happen to anyone — through data breaches, stolen mail, phishing scams, or even someone you know. It's not a reflection of how careful you were. What matters now is that you're taking action.

> **Want to hear from others who've been through this?** Visit our [Stories page] to read real experiences and how people rebuilt from here.

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*This guide is part of the StillOnline.org emergency series. Written in plain language for real people dealing with real situations.*