Unexplained charges
Review your bank account and credit card statements regularly. Look for unfamiliar charges, accounts, or withdrawals.
Think your identity was stolen?
Act quickly. The sooner you report it and lock down your accounts, the more you may be able to limit the damage.
overview of identity theft
Identity theft is more common than you think
Scams are designed to either steal your money or your identity to steal your money later. Scammers have all kinds of techniques to collect personally identifiable information (PII). Once they have it, they can become you, using your identity to open accounts, file taxes, or obtain medical coverage.
How identity theft scams work
Identity theft may take a long time to detect. Scammers ensure that bills and statements for new accounts are not sent to your address. You may notice what is happening once the scammer has already inflicted substantial damage.
Consumers should also be aware of synthetic identity theft, where a scammer combines real and fake information. Fraudsters often use stolen Social Security or Social Insurance numbers, paired with fake names, dates of birth and addresses.
know the signs
Tips to spot identity theft
Missing bills
Know when your bills are due; one tip-off for identity theft is when you stop receiving certain bills. If bills don't arrive on time, follow up with your creditors.
Unfamiliar credit activity
Check your credit reports regularly for unauthorized inquiries and accounts. In the U.S., you can get free weekly reports from all three bureaus.
Calls about unknown debts
Debt collectors may call you about debts that aren't yours. You can also set up automatic alerts on your accounts so you are notified every time a transaction is made.
protect yourself
Ways to protect yourself against this scam
Be careful with your info
Treat your personal information like the valuable commodity it is. Cut up expired credit and debit cards, and cut through the numbers before you dispose of them.
Secure documents at home
Minimize personal information on checks. You don't need to include your Social Security or Social Insurance number, driver's license, or phone number.
Be alert to phishing attempts
Be suspicious of any unsolicited communication asking you for personal information.
identity theft protection for consumers
Learn more about preventing different types of identity theft targeting consumers
Data breach protection
Data breaches are scary; they expose customers’ personal information and leave them vulnerable to fraud.
Avoid tax ID theft
Con artists use personally identifiable information of unsuspecting consumers to file phony tax returns and steal refunds.
Prevent child identity theft
Better Business Bureau wants families to be proactive in fighting fraud.
ID theft tips for students
For college students, fighting fraud may not be at the top of their list of priorities. Students can take these steps for monitoring and detecting fraud.
scams
Recognize and avoid identity theft scams
Identify common scams targeting consumers and businesses, and get tips on how to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes.
Government impostor scams
Government impostor scams are highly prevalent and pose a significant threat to consumers and businesses.
Phishing scams
Phishing scams are typically unsolicited or unexpected communications asking for personal information.
How to spot a BBB impostor
The Better Business Bureau is not immune to being victims of scams. Some dishonest characters are pretending to be the BBB to steal information and money from unsuspecting businesses and consumers.
recover
Identity theft recovery resources
Access trusted resources to help you recover from identity theft and navigate the recovery process.
1
Report it
In the U.S., report it at IdentityTheft.gov to get a personal recovery plan. In Canada, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
2
Contact your banks
Call the fraud department of any company where someone opened or used an account in your name. Close or freeze those accounts and change your passwords.
3
Freeze your credit
Place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus. Then check your credit reports for accounts you don’t recognize.
4
Warn others
If a scam led to the theft, share what happened on BBB Scam Tracker so others can avoid it.
BBB Scam Tracker
Spotted a scam?
Your report helps BBB warn others and spot new scams sooner.