Identity Theft Victim Assistance: How To Get Help

What Should You Do If You’re a Victim of Identity Theft?

Resolving cases of identity theft can entail approximately 200 hours of work, spanning over six months or more [*] — not to mention the toll on your emotional, financial, and personal well-being. 

But if your identity has been stolen, you don’t have to deal with it on your own. 

You can receive identity theft victim assistance from: 

• Credit bureaus: Set up credit freezes to prevent criminals from taking out loans in your name or ruining your credit score.
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC): File an official report at IdentityTheft.gov to get a personalized recovery plan and help with disputing fraud.
• Your local police department: A police report is often required to prove identity theft to banks and other impacted companies. 
• Any impacted financial institution: Contact the fraud department at your bank or credit union to close compromised accounts and dispute transactions.
• The IRS, SSA, and other government agencies: Each agency can supply guidance about how to protect yourself from tax, Social Security, and government benefits fraud.
• Your insurance provider: Find out if you’re covered against stolen funds as well as time or salary lost while dealing with identity theft. If you don’t have dedicated identity theft insurance, you may still be covered by your home or renter’s insurance. 

The bottom line: It’s important to act quickly to shut down and report identity thieves before they can do too much damage. While help is available, there are also steps you can take right now to protect yourself and your family.

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Identity Theft Victim Checklist: What To Do Now

If you spot the warning signs of identity theft, prioritize limiting the damage before seeking identity theft victim assistance from the police or the government. 

Follow the steps here, starting with securing your credit files and online accounts immediately:

Freeze your credit with all three bureaus 

Contact all three credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) to set up credit freezes. This step stops scammers from taking out loans or opening new accounts in your name. 

Here’s how to reach each of the major credit bureaus:

Secure your online accounts

Update your email, online banking, and social media account passwords with strong and unique credentials for every account. A password manager makes it much easier to create and store unique login credentials (without having to worry about remembering them).

Secure passwords are: 

• Unique: Each password is only used for one account.
• Complex: Combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.  
• Long: Use at least 10 characters to protect against brute-force and credential-stuffing attacks.

For added security, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts. This is an added safety measure that requires a secondary code or authentication method when logging in — such as a one-time-use code sent to your phone. For even better protection, use an authenticator app.

💡 Related: How Do Hackers Get Passwords (And How To Protect Yours) →

Review your credit reports and bank statements for signs of fraud 

If scammers have used your identity to open fraudulent accounts, these accounts will appear on your credit reports and bank statements. 

Get a free copy of your credit report from all three bureaus by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. 

Examine your online bank statements and credit card statements for unfamiliar activity, such as:

• Unauthorized purchases, debits, or transfers
• Inaccurate or edited personal information
• Unfamiliar employers or claims
• Incorrect account statuses
• New accounts or loans

Take note of any suspicious transitions, and then contact your bank to dispute the fraud.

File a report with the Federal Trade Commission and local police

You can file an official Federal Trade Commission (FTC) identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC will provide you with an official Identity Theft Affidavit as well as a personalized recovery plan.

You should also contact your local police department to file a police report. Ask to speak with the officer in charge of the fraud department to make an official police report. You’ll be asked to provide your FTC affidavit and all supporting evidence.

Close compromised accounts with your banks and other companies

Contact your financial institutions (bank and credit card companies) to report that you are the victim of identity theft. They'll close your accounts and supply new credit and debit cards. 

Then, contact the fraud departments of any companies that might be affected — such as stores where your information was fraudulently used. Inform them that your identity has been stolen, and follow their steps to close fraudulent accounts and request refunds. Get confirmation in writing of all account closures for your records. 

💡 Related: What Can Scammers Do With Your Bank Account Number? →

Contact your insurance provider 

If you have identity theft protection and coverage, contact your insurer immediately. Even if you don’t pay for an identity theft protection provider like Aura, you may be covered through your homeowner's insurance or work benefits.

Where To Get Identity Theft Victim Assistance: 5 Key Resources

The Identity Theft Resource Center is an excellent resource for general advice about identity theft and recovery. However, there are specialized identity theft victim assistance resources you should also use, depending on your specific case.

1. The Federal Trade Commission

File an Identity Theft Affidavit with the FTC through one of these options:

• Report identity theft online at IdentityTheft.gov.
• Call toll-free FTC hotlines at 1–877–FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338). 

You’ll be asked to include details of the crime as well as personal information to prove your identity — Social Security number (SSN), driver’s license number, etc. You’ll receive an official affidavit as well as a personalized recovery plan and sample dispute letters.

2. Your local police department

If you have information about the identity thief or details that could lead to an arrest, file a police report with your local department as well as with the police department in the municipality where the crime was committed. 

For example, if you live in Texas but your stolen information was used to open an account with a California bank, you’ll need to file police reports in both jurisdictions. 

Make sure you ask for a copy of your police report, and ask when you should follow up.

3. Relevant government agencies

Contact the relevant agency to report the matter if you know or suspect your identity has been used to commit government-related fraud.

For tax-related identity theft: Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

• Complete an ID Theft Affidavit [*]. Provide a detailed explanation of the fraud, along with your personal and tax information. The IRS will initiate the investigation process and assist you with resolving any issues related to your tax return.
• Contact your state tax agency. You may need to complete additional steps to dispute fraudulent tax activities at the state level. 

💡 Additional Resource: How To Protect Yourself Against Tax Identity Theft →

For Social Security Fraud: The Social Security Administration (SSA) and Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

• File a fraud report [*]. The report must include your personal information and as many details about the fraud as possible. Once the process begins, the OIG cannot comment or provide information related to the investigation. 
• Call the Social Security Fraud Hotline. Victims who cannot file a report online can call the toll-free hotline at 1-800-269-0271.  

For government benefits fraud: State unemployment offices.

• Complete an identity theft report. Most states have a dedicated online fraud reporting form or phone number for such cases [*]. Multi-state offenses should be reported in multiple states. 
• Document all required information. Record any information related to unemployment insurance (UI) fraud. Obtain a copy of your police report to provide to the Department of Labor (or whichever department assists you). 

💡 Additional Resource: What To Do If Someone Claimed Unemployment In Your Name →

For Medicare fraud: The Department of Health & Human Services - Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). 

• Contact Medicare directly. You should report any suspected fraud at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Victims need to submit personal and Medicare account information, plus all evidence related to the fraud. 
• Submit a complaint to the HHS-OIG via the online form or call 1-800-447-8477. 
• Call the Investigations Medicare Drug Integrity Contractor. Report Medicare Advantage Plan or drug plan fraud at 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379).

For victims of cybercrime: The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

• Find the most appropriate complaint category. The IC3 has separate sections for crimes related to business emails, ransomware, elder fraud, and other cybercrimes. Select the complaint form that best suits your case. 
• Prepare your evidence. While the IC3 does not collect evidence, law enforcement agencies may contact you for evidence.
• Report the crime to your state’s Attorney General. You can also file a complaint with your state’s Attorney General, who will investigate the crime. 

4. Financial institutions and payment processors

If you sent money to a scammer or had your bank account compromised, financial institutions and payment processors may be able to help. 

Start by calling the number on the back of your credit or debit card, and ask to speak to the fraud department. For money transfers or wire transfers, contact the company directly (for example, Cash App, Venmo, or Western Union). 

5. Aura’s White Glove Fraud Resolution Specialists

No one wants to deal with identity theft on their own. To get personalized identity theft victim assistance and peace of mind, consider Aura. 

Aura customers can reach a fraud remediation expert by contacting support directly from the Aura mobile or desktop app. Your dedicated case manager will walk you through every step — including credit freezes, disputes, and reports.

How To Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

The best way to protect yourself from fraud and further damage is through proper prevention: 

• Don’t click on suspicious links in texts, emails, or phishing scams.
• Avoid public Wi-Fi networks, and use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to secure your connection.
• Use a password manager, strong passwords, and 2FA on all of your accounts.
• Never share personal information, SSNs, or account numbers — especially over the phone or with people you don’t know.
• Regularly review your bank accounts and credit reports for signs of fraud.
• Remove sensitive personal information from social media profiles and online databases (such as data brokers).
• Run antivirus scans regularly to find and eliminate malware threats.
• Enable automatic updates to keep your devices and software in line with the latest security patches.

Even with the proper precautions, you never know where, when, or how identity theft will happen —  but you can make sure you're ready.

Aura offers award-winning identity theft protection — including the fastest credit fraud alerts in the industry³ — as well as round-the-clock dedicated U.S.-based support when you need it most. 

Stay safe, secure, and supported — Try Aura free for 14 days.