Fraud Alert

Identity theft is when your personal information—anything from your name, your driver’s license or Social Security Number—has been hijacked by an imposter in order to commit fraud in your name. With that information, someone can easily open false lines of credit and rack up debt in your name, withdraw money from your accounts or get your tax refund, among other scams.

Identity theft can also happen to children, and it can go undetected for years. You can learn more here about how to spot child identity theft and how TransUnion can help.

The first step in figuring out if you’re a victim of identity theft is to look for evidence that it occurred. Review your credit report for signs of suspicious activity and unfamiliar changes, like accounts opened that you don’t recognize or credit checks from companies you’ve never done business with. Monitor your credit card or other account statements for purchases you didn’t make.

Learn more about recognizing identity theft:

• Signs of Identity Fraud
• Common Purchases with Stolen Credit Card Information
• How to Spot and Avoid Phishing Scams

Identity theft is a serious crime, but we’re here to help you through it.

1. Alert your financial institutions and cancel credit cards and checks, if needed
2. Report the fraud to the FTC and your local law enforcement
3. Protect your credit report with a credit freeze and add a fraud alert
4. Get a copy of your credit report and review it for inaccuracies; you can dispute fraudulent activity through our free online dispute process

For even more guidance, use our free Fraud Companion Guide to track your progress through reporting and organize your notes all in one place.

We also have more resources to help you through this process:

• Our Fraud Victim Checklist can also help you determine who to contact
• Review the Fraud Victim Bill of Rights for more information on your rights as victim of fraud

Whether you’ve experienced it or not, there are several things you can do to protect yourself from potential identity theft:

• Review your credit report for any unusual activity. TransUnion is offering free weekly credit reports through April 20, 2022 at annualcreditreport.com.
• Keep an eye on your financial accounts for suspicious charges
• Treat your personal information with care both online and off: use secure passwords and be aware of phishing phone calls, text messages and emails
• Consider a subscription credit monitoring service like TransUnion Credit Monitoring

You can learn more in our blog post 5 Identity Theft Protection Tips & Precautions to Start Taking Now.