What do you do if you give out personal information?

Report Identity Theft. Report identity (ID) theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at IdentityTheft.gov or by phone at 1-877-438-4338. The FTC will collect the details of your situation.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on usa.gov


What do I do if I gave my information to a scammer?

Notify the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that you have been phished. The FTC is the nation's consumer protection agency. The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection works for the consumer to prevent fraud, deception and unfair business practices in the marketplace.
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What do you do if you have given personal information?

Inform your bank, building society and credit card company of any unusual transactions on your statement. Request a copy of your credit file to check for any suspicious credit applications. Report the theft of personal documents and suspicious credit applications to the police and ask for a crime reference number.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ico.org.uk


What happens if I give my name and address to a scammer?

With a name and address, a thief can change your address via U.S. Postal Service and redirect mail to their address of choice, Velasquez says. With access to your financial mail, the thief may intercept bank statements and credit card offers or bills, then order new checks and credit cards.
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What should I do if I gave my SSN to a scammer?

Protect yourself from identity theft

If someone uses your SSN to obtain credit, loans, telephone accounts, or other goods and services, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC collects complaints about identity theft from those whose identities have been stolen.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ssa.gov


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How do you check if your Social Security number has been compromised?

If you believe someone is using your Social Security number to work, get your tax refund, or other abuses involving taxes, contact the IRS online or call 1-800-908-4490. You can order free credit reports annually from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on faq.ssa.gov


Can someone access my bank account with my Social Security number?

They can use your SSN to open a bank account in your name.

That means that anyone with your SSN can easily open a bank account in your name, especially if the identity thief already obtained a driver's license in your name.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on gobankingrates.com


Can someone steal your identity with just your name and address?

Can thieves steal identities with only a name and address? In short, the answer is “no.” Which is a good thing, as your name and address are in fact part of the public record. Anyone can get a hold of them. However, because they are public information, they are still tools that identity thieves can use.
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What can someone do with your details?

Fraudsters can use your identity details to:
  • Open bank accounts.
  • Obtain credit cards, loans and state benefits.
  • Order goods in your name.
  • Take over your existing accounts.
  • Take out mobile phone contracts.
  • Obtain genuine documents such as passports and driving licences in your name.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on actionfraud.police.uk


What can a scammer do with my name and phone number?

By having your cell number, a scammer could trick caller ID systems and get into your financial accounts or call financial institutions that use your phone number to identify you. Once the scammer convinces your carrier to port out your number, you may never get it back. Scam porting is a big problem for phone owners.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on idstrong.com


What information does someone need to steal your identity?

Scammers can steal your identity by obtaining your personal financial information online, at the door or over the phone. What they want are account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, and other confidential information that they can use to loot your checking account or run up bills on your credit cards.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ag.ks.gov


What should you do if you give your personal information to a phisher?

If you got a phishing email, forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at [email protected] . If you got a phishing text message, forward it to SPAM (7726). Step 2. Report the phishing attack to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on consumer.ftc.gov


What can a scammer do with my picture?

Information fraudsters could get from your photos

A photo posted on your birthday, for example, would provide them with your date of birth, whereas a photo of a new house could potentially give them details of where you live.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on equifax.co.uk


What happens if you give a scammer your email address?

What will scammers do with your email address? Once a scammer gets your email address, they'll use it to benefit themselves in any way possible. Many will send you spam email, with the hope of collecting private information such as credit card numbers.
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What can someone do with your SSN and ID?

A dishonest person who has your Social Security number can use it to get other personal information about you. Identity thieves can use your number and your good credit to apply for more credit in your name. Then, when they use the credit cards and don't pay the bills, it damages your credit.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ssa.gov


What are 2 things you should do if your identity is stolen?

Sign up for credit monitoring.
  1. Notify the company or agency that issued your stolen credentials. ...
  2. Put a freeze or fraud alert on your credit. ...
  3. Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission. ...
  4. File a report with your local law enforcement agency. ...
  5. Obtain copies of documents used to open accounts or make fraudulent transactions.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on bankrate.com


What happens if your identity is stolen?

Fair Credit Reporting Act: What to do about identity theft

Getting copies of your credit reports from the three CRAs. Placing a security freeze on your credit report. Obtaining documents related to fraudulent transactions or accounts opened using your personal information. Obtaining information from debt collectors.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on lifelock.com


How can you protect your identity?

The Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Identity
  1. Keep your mail safe. ...
  2. Read your account statements. ...
  3. Check your credit reports. ...
  4. Shred! ...
  5. Store personal documents at home. ...
  6. Be wary of unknown phone calls and emails. ...
  7. Create difficult logins and passwords. ...
  8. Use one credit card for online shopping.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on unitedway.org


What to do if someone is falsely using your address?

File your concern online with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by email at [email protected], or call their Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338).
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on faq.usps.com


What can a hacker do with your name and address?

Your info could be used to open credit cards or take out loans. If hackers have your Social Security number, name, birthdate and address, they can open credit cards or apply for loans in your name.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on creditkarma.com


How do you find out if someone is using your identity?

What you can do to detect identity theft
  1. Track what bills you owe and when they're due. If you stop getting a bill, that could be a sign that someone changed your billing address.
  2. Review your bills. ...
  3. Check your bank account statement. ...
  4. Get and review your credit reports.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on consumer.ftc.gov


Can you put a freeze on your Social Security number?

Freezing Your Social Security Number

First, you'll need to create an account on E-Verify, which is managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Once you do, follow the prompts to freeze your SSN. Then, file a police report. Immediately after freezing, contact the authorities.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on legalbeagle.com


Can I change my SSN?

You can't change your Social Security number simply because your card has been lost or stolen, or to avoid bankruptcy or legitimate debts. The only other reasons Social Security will consider assigning a new number are: Sequential numbers assigned to members of your family are causing confusion.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aarp.org


What are the first signs of identity theft?

9 Signs of Identity Theft
  • Unexplained charges or withdrawals. ...
  • Medical bills for doctors you haven't visited. ...
  • New credit cards you didn't apply for. ...
  • Errors on your credit report. ...
  • Collection notices or calls for unknown debt. ...
  • Your credit card or application for credit is denied. ...
  • Missing mail or email.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on navyfederal.org


How do I report someone using my Social Security number?

If someone uses your Social Security number to obtain a job, credit, loans, telephone accounts, or other goods and services, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC collects complaints about identity theft from those whose identities have been stolen.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on oig.ssa.gov