If your credit or debit card was lost or stolen, immediately contact your bank or the credit card company and report the cards lost or stolen. They should be able to tell you the last few times the card was used. If you don’t recognize any of the recent transactions, ask your bank to reverse those charges so you don’t have to pay them. If they won’t reverse the charges, see Step 3.
If someone stole your checks, contact your bank first, and also one of the major check verification companies to report the theft and to stop payment on the stolen checks:
If your passport was lost or stolen or you think someone ordered one in your name, call the U.S. Department of State at 1-877-487-2778.
Keep a record of the actions you take
If you think someone stole your identity, it’s important to keep records of everything you do to correct the problem.
- Keep a record of the phone calls you make. Write down who you spoke with, when you spoke, and what you talked about.
- Keep copies of any letters or emails that you send or receive.
- Keep track of the time and money you spent trying to fix the problem. In some states, an identity thief can be made to pay the victim back for the time and money the victim lost because of the crime.
