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    SSN Stolen?

    Act fast. Limit damage.

    First 24 hours

    • Contact 1 of 3 credit bureaus.
    • Equifax / Experian / TransUnion.
    • Place 1-year fraud alert (free).
    • That bureau notifies others.
    • Get free credit reports.
    • Time-critical.

    Step 2: Credit freeze

    • Free at all 3 bureaus.
    • Stops new accounts opened.
    • Equifax: equifax.com/personal/credit-freeze.
    • Experian: experian.com/freeze.
    • TransUnion: transunion.com/freeze.
    • PIN to lift later.

    Step 3: SSA + IRS

    • Report to SSA — 1-800-772-1213.
    • Or visit local SSA office.
    • Get IRS Identity Protection PIN.
    • Block fake tax filings.
    • identitytheft.gov — coordinate.
    • Free IRS PIN forever.

    Step 4: FTC report

    • identitytheft.gov.
    • Step-by-step recovery plan.
    • Generates affidavit.
    • Use for credit disputes.
    • Banks accept FTC report.
    • Police report optional.

    Watch for fraud

    • Check credit reports monthly.
    • Annual free at annualcreditreport.com.
    • Bank app daily.
    • Tax return early as possible.
    • Medicare summaries — check.
    • Mail from unknown lenders = report.

    Recovery time

    • Months to years.
    • Disputes individual accounts.
    • FTC report = legal weight.
    • Don't pay fraudulent debts.
    • Banks generally write off.
    • Be patient + persistent.

    Future protection

    Keep credit freeze active permanently. Lift only when applying for new credit (free, online). Strong passwords + 2FA on all accounts. Don't share SSN unless required by law. Memorize SSN — never carry card. Identity theft monitoring services ($30/mo) optional. Free credit alerts work too.