Choose a credit freeze or fraud alert after suspected identity misuse: next steps
Guidance reviewed 2026-10-18. Official explanation of freezes and fraud alerts, including different bureau-contact steps and alert durations.
Start here: Read the FTC distinction between a freeze and an alert.
Where and how to proceed: full steps and checklist
1. Is this for me?
People considering the named complaint, review or assistance route; the agency must confirm jurisdiction and individual applicability.
Service area: Oregon or applicable federal route; confirm venue and agency jurisdiction.
2. What should I prepare?
Some documents may be conditional. Ask about alternatives. Checkmarks are temporary and are not saved or sent.
3. Where and how do I submit?
Requests go to the credit bureaus using the official links in the FTC article; this navigator does not store credentials or perform the request.
Timing: FTC says a freeze lasts until lifted and an initial fraud alert lasts one year, renewable. Act promptly after suspected misuse and check separate recovery/reporting steps.
4. What will it cost?
FTC says placing and lifting a freeze and placing a fraud alert are free. Optional commercial monitoring is a separate product.
5. What happens after I submit?
Confirm each requested freeze/alert and retain secure records. Review reports for accounts that already exist.
6. What if something goes wrong?
A freeze does not fix existing report errors or submit an identity-theft report. Extended alerts have additional documentation requirements.
Language, disability and offline help
Use the bureau’s current assistance routes and request accessible or language help where needed.
Official source navigation reviewed on 2026-10-18. Confirm current agency coverage, accepted form, submission route and the actual notice or event dates. No personal deadline, eligibility, legal violation, remedy, representation or filing-readiness determination is made. A freeze and alert have different effects and do not replace disputing existing fraudulent accounts. No bureau request or identity-theft report is created by the navigator. FTC direct HTTPS returned 404; retained FTC evidence is the web tool extract, whose hash does not certify publisher response bytes.
Sources for the added submission and follow-up details
Reviewed 2026-10-18. Read current publisher instructions before acting.
FTC Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts [web-extracted text; hash covers extract only]
Retained evidence SHA-256: 0497f4dbc638b1361b2625ad597076abdcf6d6e5d9b97b868d5b739b04f71c0c
Procedure steps, documents and printable checklist
Official source navigation reviewed on 2026-10-18. Confirm current agency coverage, accepted form, submission route and the actual notice or event dates. No personal deadline, eligibility, legal violation, remedy, representation or filing-readiness determination is made. A freeze and alert have different effects and do not replace disputing existing fraudulent accounts. No bureau request or identity-theft report is created by the navigator. FTC direct HTTPS returned 404; retained FTC evidence is the web tool extract, whose hash does not certify publisher response bytes.