How to File an Identity Theft Report With the FTC

If someone uses your personal information to open accounts, make purchases, get benefits, or pretend to be you, filing an identity theft report with the FTC is one of the most important recovery steps.

The report helps document what happened and gives you a recovery plan you can use with companies, credit bureaus, and debt collectors.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to file an identity theft report with the FTC, what information to gather, and what to do after your report is complete.

TL;DR: Quick Decision Guide

• If someone used your identity → file a report at IdentityTheft.gov.
• If your information was exposed but not misused → you may not need a full identity theft report yet.
• If you need proof for credit bureaus or companies → save your FTC Identity Theft Report.
• If you cannot file online → call the FTC at 1-877-438-4338.
• If money was stolen from an account → contact the financial institution first, then file the report.

Step 1: Know When to Use IdentityTheft.gov

IdentityTheft.gov is the FTC’s official identity theft recovery website. It helps you report identity theft and create a personal recovery plan. The FTC describes it as the federal government’s one-stop resource to help people report and recover from identity theft.

Use IdentityTheft.gov if someone used your information to:

• Open a credit card, loan, bank account, or utility account
• Make purchases in your name
• File taxes or claim a refund
• Get government benefits
• Use your child’s identity
• Use your medical insurance
• Create accounts using your personal information

What to do:
If your information was only exposed in a data breach but has not been misused, you may not need a full identity theft report yet. You may still want to change passwords, monitor accounts, freeze your credit, and follow breach-specific steps.

👉 Compare: Identity Protection Tools in the Marketplace →

Step 2: Gather Information Before You Start

You do not need every detail to file, but having the basics ready makes the report stronger.

Gather:

• Your name and contact information
• What information was stolen or misused
• Names of companies involved
• Dates of suspicious activity
• Account numbers or partial account numbers
• Amounts charged or stolen
• Collection notices or letters
• Screenshots, emails, texts, or transaction records
• Credit report entries you do not recognize

What to do:
Write a short timeline before you begin. Include how you discovered the identity theft, what accounts were affected, and what steps you already took.

Smile Money Tip: Do not wait for a perfect file before reporting. Start with what you know, then keep adding records to your recovery folder.

👉 Related: How to Create an Identity Theft Recovery Plan →

Step 3: File the Report Online or by Phone

The fastest way is to go to IdentityTheft.gov and follow the prompts. The site asks what happened, then creates an Identity Theft Report and recovery plan based on your answers.

The FTC also says you can report identity theft online at IdentityTheft.gov or by calling 1-877-438-4338.

What to do:

1. Go to IdentityTheft.gov.
2. Choose the type of identity theft that happened.
3. Answer the questions as clearly as you can.
4. Review your report.
5. Save or print the Identity Theft Report.
6. Follow the recovery checklist.

If you create an account on IdentityTheft.gov, the FTC says the site can walk you through recovery steps, update your plan, track progress, and pre-fill forms and letters. If you do not create an account, save or print your report right away.

👉 Related: What to Do If Your Social Security Number Was Stolen →

Step 4: Use the Report to Support Your Recovery

Your FTC Identity Theft Report can help prove to businesses that someone stole your identity. The FTC says this report can make it easier to fix problems caused by identity theft.

You may use it to:

• Close fraudulent accounts
• Dispute fraudulent credit report items
• Stop debt collection on fraudulent accounts
• Request records from companies
• Support an extended fraud alert
• Document the fraud for your recovery file

What to do:
Send copies, not your only original. Keep your Identity Theft Report, dispute letters, company responses, and confirmation numbers together.

Step 5: Take the Next Recovery Actions

Filing the FTC report is important, but it is not the only step.

After filing:

• Contact companies where fraud happened.
• Freeze your credit with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
• Place a fraud alert if needed.
• Review all three credit reports.
• Dispute fraudulent accounts.
• Change passwords for affected accounts.
• Monitor bank, card, and payment app activity.

The CFPB recommends that identity theft victims place fraud alerts or security freezes on credit reports, file a report at IdentityTheft.gov, and take steps to protect credit history and finances.

What to do:
Follow the personalized checklist from IdentityTheft.gov. Work through one account or issue at a time so the process feels manageable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Reporting a scam but not filing an identity theft report when your identity was misused
• Forgetting to save or print the FTC Identity Theft Report
• Filing the report but not contacting affected companies
• Not freezing credit after new-account fraud
• Deleting evidence before saving screenshots or records
• Waiting to dispute fraudulent accounts

What to Do If You Also Need a Police Report

You may not always need a police report, but it can help in some cases.

Consider filing one if:

• You know who stole your identity
• A company requests it
• A debt collector requires more documentation
• The fraud involved local theft, threats, or stolen property
• Your wallet, checkbook, or documents were stolen

What to do:
Bring your FTC Identity Theft Report, photo ID, proof of address, and evidence of the fraud. Ask for a copy of the police report or report number.

FAQs on Filing an Identity Theft Report With the FTC

Final Thought

Filing an FTC identity theft report gives you a recovery starting point and a document you can use when dealing with companies and credit bureaus.

You do not have to fix everything at once. File the report, save your records, and follow the recovery plan one step at a time.

Next Steps:

• 👉 Learn: How to Recover From Identity Theft Step-by-Step →
• 👉 Read: How to Dispute Fraudulent Accounts on Your Credit Report →
• 👉 Read: What to Do If Someone Opened an Account in Your Name →
• 👉 Compare: Identity Protection Tools in the Marketplace →