Once you complete the report online, the FTC will give you a step-by-step recovery plan and checklist based on the information you provided. You can provide the report to local police, and it will help them with details as they prepare the local police report for you.

If you received any email notifications or other information from your bank or credit card company, print off copies of those as well. You also may have bills or collection notices that include charges you didn’t make.

If you have documents you’ve gathered with evidence of the identity theft, bring copies of these along with you. You also want to bring documents that will prove your identity and address. In addition to a driver’s license or other government-issued ID, you may want to bring along your birth certificate or Social Security card. Use utility bills to prove your address.

Some local police may be reluctant to take your report, or may insist that identity theft is not a local matter. If this happens, ask to speak to their supervisor. Keep going up the chain of command until you find someone willing to take your report. Give the officer as many specific details and information as you know. For example, if a credit card number was stolen, you need to be able to tell the officer all of the places where you recently used that card. You can get this information from an up-to-date credit card statement or from the transaction report on your online account.

If you don’t get a copy of the written report immediately, get the report number and keep it somewhere safe. You’ll need the report number to get a copy of the report later, or if you need to provide additional information.

Call the police station and find out the name of the officer who has been assigned to your case. Get a direct number for that officer, if possible, so you can contact them when you need to update your report.

If your license was stolen, you want to have another license number issued for your name as soon as possible and have the other one cancelled. That way the thief won’t be able to use that information to get credit or take other actions using your identification. A work or school ID that provided you with access also should be replaced as soon as possible, before the thief can use them.

It may also be a good idea to take along a copy of your police report or FTC identity theft report. You also may need to prove your place of residence. Contact the department of motor vehicles or other agency to find out what documents are acceptable to prove your residency. For example, a utility bill with your name and address on it may be sufficient. A mortgage statement or copy of your lease agreement is also typically acceptable.

You typically won’t have to pay any fees to replace some identification, such as your work ID. However, you will have to pay a replacement fee for any government-issued ID, such as your driver’s license.

You may want to call ahead and make an appointment to decrease your wait time, especially if you live in a more populated area. You also may need to get a new photo taken, especially if you’re requesting a different license number.

Getting a fraud alert is a relatively simple process and is free of charge. Requesting one from any of the 3 credit bureaus means the alert will automatically be placed on all of your credit reports. A credit freeze must be done through each of the 3 credit bureaus separately. Although you typically have to pay a fee, that fee may be waived if you provide a copy of your police report to show you are a victim of identity theft. If the thief has already attempted to open new credit accounts in your name, a freeze may offer you more protection than a fraud alert.

Contact the bank or lender and let them know that you are a victim of identity theft. Request that your account be locked or closed. They also may issue you new debit or credit cards, or a new account number. Some banks and lenders require a copy of your police report if you want to take other actions, such as disputing fraudulent charges.

Once your identity is confirmed, your name in the database alerts law enforcement agencies and others doing a background check that you were not responsible for the crime committed. Law enforcement agencies serving warrants will take additional steps to verify your identity.

Choose a secure password that’s completely unlike the one you used before. Use a random combination of letters, numbers, and special characters (if possible) that isn’t easy to guess.

Go to https://www. irs. gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14039. pdf to download IRS Form 14039, the IRS’s Identity Theft Affidavit. Fill it out and follow the instructions on the form to submit it to the IRS. Continue to file your own taxes as you normally would.

Start by looking up the website to read about the resources and information available. You can find it by searching for the Secretary of State’s website. It typically will have a link to the department or office dedicated to consumer protection.