Identity Stolen? What to Do

For tax-related identity theft or child identity theft, see the Special Forms of Identity Theft section below.

• Call the fraud department of the company and explain that someone stole your identity. Note the name of the person assisting you and when you talked.
• Ask them to close or freeze your accounts to block new charges, unless you approve.
• Request a letter confirming that the fraudulent accounts are not yours, you aren’t liable for them, and they have been removed from your credit report.
• Also call your financial institution so they can secure your financial accounts. For accounts with Broadview, contact the fraud team at 800-727-3328 (option 2).
• Change your passwords, logins, and PINs.

• Place a free, one-year fraud alert that requires businesses to verify your identity before issuing new credit in your name. Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to request the fraud alert, and the other two will be notified.
  • Experian.com/help
    888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)
  • TransUnion.com/credit-help
    888-909-8872
  • Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
    800-685-1111
• Obtain your free credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion via annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877-322-8228.
• Review your reports and note unfamiliar accounts or transactions.
• Contact each credit bureau and have them block fraudulent information (such as incorrect personal identification information) from your credit report.

• Optional: Freeze your credit report. This will prevent new accounts from being opened in your name (whether legitimately yours or fraudulent).

  • If you freeze your credit, you must “thaw” it when you apply for a loan or other credit.

  • See the “What to Do Next” section or our blog for more information.

• Optional: Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commision (FTC).

  • Complete their online form or call 877-438-4338

  • The FTC will create an Identity Theft Report and recovery plan for you.

• Visit your local police office and bring:
  • A copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report
  • A government-issued ID with a photo
  • Proof of address (mortgage statement, rental agreement, or utilities bill)
• Tell the police someone stole your identity, and you need to file a report. Request a copy of the report as well.

• You can check your credit score for free through Broadview’s digital banking. Learn more.
• Additionally, you can check your reports every week for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. This can help you spot any new fraud fast.

• Call the fraud department of each business
  • Explain that someone stole your identity.
  • Tell them which charges are fraudulent. Ask the business to remove them and send you a confirmation letter. Write down who you talked to and when.

• Did someone use your child’s identity to commit fraud? Call the company, explain that your child is a minor and someone stole their identity. Ask them to close the fraudulent account and request a letter confirming that your child isn’t liable.
• Find out if your child has a credit report (a common indicator of fraud) by requesting a manual search of your child’s Social Security number with each credit bureau.
  • If a credit report is found, the credit bureau will send you a copy of the report. To remove fraudulent charges, follow the accompanying instructions.
• Request a free credit freeze to make it harder for someone to open new accounts in your child’s name. Contact each credit bureau to do so. The freeze can be unfrozen for credit applications once the child is older.

• Please refer to the IRS or FTC website for guidance and next steps.