Quick response guides for common digital emergencies
1 Contain
Stop the damage immediately
- Place a fraud alert: Call any one credit bureau to place a free fraud alert. They notify the other two. Experian: 1-888-397-3742.
- Freeze your credit: Request a credit freeze at all three bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) to block new accounts from being opened.
- Call your financial institutions: Contact the fraud department at every bank, credit card company, or lender where you see unauthorized activity. Have them freeze or close compromised accounts.
- File a police report: Bring any evidence of the theft (fraudulent statements, collection letters, breach notifications).
- Save all evidence: Keep fraudulent bills, unauthorized credit statements, debt collection letters, and breach notification emails. Do not delete or discard anything.
2 Recover
Get back to normal
- File an FTC report at IdentityTheft.gov: Complete the online form to get a personalized recovery plan and an official FTC Identity Theft Affidavit.
- Build your Identity Theft Report: Your FTC affidavit combined with your police report forms the official Identity Theft Report. This gives you legal rights to dispute and remove fraudulent accounts.
- Dispute fraudulent accounts: Contact each company where fraud occurred. Send a written dispute with a copy of your Identity Theft Report and request closure of all fraudulent accounts. Keep records of every communication.
- Review your credit reports: Pull free reports from AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute any accounts or inquiries you do not recognize with each bureau.
- Handle SSN compromise: If your Social Security number was stolen, call the SSA fraud line (1-800-269-0271), file IRS Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit), and notify your state tax agency. File taxes early before a fraudster can.
- Extend your fraud alert: Use your Identity Theft Report to request a 7-year extended fraud alert from any one bureau for longer protection.
3 Prevent
Stop it from happening again
- Find the source: Determine how your identity was compromised (stolen wallet, data breach, phishing, or mail theft) so you can close that vector.
- Guard personal info: Shred sensitive documents, never carry your SSN card, and use a locked mailbox or P.O. box.
- Keep credit frozen permanently: Only thaw when you are actively applying for new credit, then re-freeze immediately.
- Monitor regularly: Check bank statements and credit reports frequently. Set up free alerts through your bank or credit bureau.
- Secure your accounts: Enable two-factor authentication on all financial and email accounts. Use a password manager with unique passwords for every site.
Related Digital Chores: Freeze Credit Reports, Use a Password Manager, Review Annual Credit Report, Secure Critical Accounts
Key Contacts
- FTC Identity Theft Recovery: IdentityTheft.gov
- Experian Fraud: 1-888-397-3742
- Equifax Fraud: 1-888-766-0008
- TransUnion Fraud: 1-800-680-7289
- Social Security Fraud: 1-800-269-0271
- IRS Identity Theft: 1-800-908-4490
- Annual Credit Reports: AnnualCreditReport.com / 1-877-322-8228
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.gov
Outside the United States? View international reporting resources
(If you are a victim of fraud or cybercrime outside the U.S., or the incident involves international parties, here are some resources in other countries/regions.)
Canada
The central agency for fraud and scam reporting in Canada is the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) – website: antifraudcentre.ca. You can report scams, identity theft, fraud attempts, etc., through their online system or by phone (1-888-495-8501). The CAFC is jointly operated by the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, and Competition Bureau, and they collect intelligence on fraud schemes.
If you are a victim of identity theft or have lost money, you should also report it to your local police in Canada (bring any evidence, like bank statements or emails). The police might give you an occurrence number, which can help with bank investigations or credit bureau communications.
Canada has a national cybercrime reporting system under development – currently, the advice is to use CAFC for cyber-fraud, and if it’s a cyber incident like hacking without fraud, to report to local police or RCMP.
Canadian credit bureaus (Equifax Canada, TransUnion Canada) also offer fraud alerts and credit freezes (credit freezes are often called “credit report consumer declarations” in Canada and function a bit differently than in the US, sometimes with fees – check their sites for the latest process).
United Kingdom
The UK’s national reporting center for fraud and cybercrime is Action Fraud – website: actionfraud.police.uk. If you’re in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland and you’ve been scammed, defrauded, or hit by cybercrime, report it to Action Fraud. You can do so via their online tool 24/7, or by phone at 0300 123 2040 (available Mon–Fri 8am-8pm).
When you report online, you can create an account to get updates or report as a guest. If you’re in Scotland, Action Fraud does not cover you – instead, report directly to Police Scotland (call the non-emergency line 101 or go to a local station). In an immediate emergency or if a crime is in progress, always dial 999 in the UK.
Action Fraud will give you a crime reference number and your report feeds into the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau. For cybersecurity incidents affecting organizations, the UK has the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
European Union
There isn’t a single EU-wide consumer cybercrime hotline, as law enforcement is handled by individual countries. If you’re in an EU country and fall victim to cybercrime or fraud, report it to your national police or relevant authority.
Many EU countries have online fraud/cybercrime reporting platforms or centralized offices: for example, France has a platform called “PHAROS” for reporting online illicit content; Germany has local police portals in each state; the Netherlands has a centralized reporting site (politie.nl) for internet fraud; etc. You can usually find this info on your country’s police or interior ministry website.
Europol (the EU’s law enforcement cooperation agency) does not take direct citizen reports – they advise victims to go through national authorities. However, Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) website provides general guidance and resources on cybercrime and how to report in each EU country.
The EU also has OLAF (European Anti-Fraud Office), but OLAF deals with fraud involving EU funds or EU institutional staff – not personal identity theft or scams.
One EU-wide resource: econsumer.gov – an initiative by the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (ICPEN) – allows consumers in many countries (including EU members) to report international scams.
Australia
Australia has a national cybercrime reporting portal called ReportCyber, which replaced the older ACORN system. To report cybercrime (such as hacking, ransomware, online fraud) go to the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s ReportCyber page at cyber.gov.au/report and submit a report.
If it’s an immediate threat to life or safety (including something like an active extortion threat), call 000 (Australia’s emergency number) right away.
For other scams, particularly those targeting consumers (like dating scams, investment scams, etc.), you can also report to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au.
Additionally, if you experience identity theft in Australia, you can get support from IDCARE (idcare.org), a national identity & cyber support service that helps individuals navigate the recovery process. They’re not a government agency but are endorsed by the government as a helpful resource.
International Resources Summary
No matter where you are, if you’re a victim of cybercrime or fraud, report it to your local authorities – police, consumer protection agencies, or specialized cybercrime units. Many countries have similar setups to the U.S.: a consumer fraud reporting center, credit bureaus for credit issues, and emergency services for urgent situations.
If you’re traveling or a scam crosses borders, you can also file reports in multiple jurisdictions (e.g., report to your home country authorities and the country where the scammer is based if known). Agencies like Interpol and Europol facilitate info-sharing between countries.
For example, Interpol has an initiative called the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network and will coordinate if you report through econsumer.gov or through your national police who then reach out internationally.
The key is to use official channels – many of the same tips (don’t pay scammers, preserve evidence, alert banks, etc.) apply globally. Laws and processes vary, but the goal is to document the incident and get help. And always remember to follow up on protecting yourself (freezes, alerts, changing passwords) in addition to making reports.