If someone steals your identity, the worst feeling is not knowing what to do next. The good news: there is a clear, free, step-by-step path to recovery — and you do not need to pay anyone to walk it. This guide is written for every New Yorker, including people who are new to computers, new to English, or just overwhelmed. We will take it slowly, one step at a time. We will also show you how to get a free or low-cost computer if you do not have one, because getting back online safely is part of recovering, too.
Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information — your name, Social Security number, bank or credit card numbers, or medical insurance number — without your permission. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), more than a million people reported identity theft last year. It can happen to anyone. What matters is acting quickly and using the official, free tools the government built for exactly this situation.
How to Know If Your Identity Was Stolen
The FTC says these are common warning signs. If you notice any of them, take them seriously:
- A bill stops arriving. If a bill you usually get suddenly disappears, someone may have changed your billing address.
- Charges you did not make. Review your credit card and bank statements. Purchases or withdrawals you do not recognize are a red flag.
- A new bill you did not expect. A bill for an account you never opened may mean someone opened it in your name.
- Strange entries on your credit report. Accounts you do not recognize are one of the clearest signs.
- A letter about benefits you never applied for — like unemployment benefits. The FTC notes this is a frequent sign of identity theft.
How to Recover, Step by Step
Let’s get you back on track. The FTC lays out a recovery process at its official site, and you can do all of it for free.
Step 1: Call the businesses where fraud happened
Contact the fraud department of any company where you see a fake account or a charge you did not make. Tell them your identity was stolen and ask them to close or freeze the account. Write down who you spoke to and when.
Step 2: Place a fraud alert and get your free credit reports
A fraud alert tells businesses to check with you before they open new credit in your name. It is free and lasts one year. You only need to contact one of the three credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion — and that company is required to tell the other two. When you place an initial fraud alert, you can also get a free copy of your credit report from each bureau so you can look for accounts you do not recognize.
Step 3: Consider a credit freeze
A credit freeze is stronger than a fraud alert. While a freeze is in place, nobody can open a new credit account in your name — not even you, until you lift it. It is free to place and free to lift, and it does not hurt your credit score. For a freeze, you must contact all three bureaus separately. You can temporarily lift it any time you need to apply for credit, a job, or an apartment.
Step 4: Report to the FTC and get your personal recovery plan
This is the most important step. Go to the FTC’s official site, IdentityTheft.gov, and report what happened. Based on your answers, the site creates a written Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan that walks you through each remaining step. If you make a free account, the site tracks your progress and even fills out letters and forms for you. There is advice for more than 30 different types of identity theft.
Prefer to talk to a person? You can report by phone at 1-877-438-4338. Press 3 for help in another language — interpreters are available 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern. To report in Spanish online, use RobodeIdentidad.gov.
Step 5: For serious cases, place an extended fraud alert
If you have completed an FTC Identity Theft Report (or filed a police report), you qualify for an extended fraud alert that lasts seven years and also removes you from unsolicited credit-offer marketing lists for five years. As with the one-year alert, you only need to contact one bureau.
Who Qualifies for Free Help and Free Tools
Good news — these protections are free for everyone:
- Credit freezes and fraud alerts: Free for anyone, any time, even if your identity has not been stolen. No income requirement.
- IdentityTheft.gov recovery plan: Free for any victim of identity theft.
- Free credit reports: Available to everyone — you do not need to pay a monitoring service to check your own report.
- Child credit freeze: If your child is under 16, you can request a free freeze on their credit to stop someone from opening accounts in their name.
- Active-duty servicemembers and National Guard members: Qualify for free electronic credit monitoring and a special active-duty fraud alert.
How to Report a Scam (Even If You Did Not Lose Money)
Reporting helps protect your neighbors. Use these official channels:
- Fraud and scams: Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and click “Report Now.” Your report is shared with more than 2,000 law enforcers and helps build cases. You can report even if you did not lose any money.
- Identity theft specifically: IdentityTheft.gov (this also creates your recovery plan).
- If you paid by credit or debit card: Call your card company and ask to dispute the charge (also called a “chargeback”).
A warning the FTC wants every New Yorker to hear: Scammers sometimes pretend to be the FTC or other government agencies. The real FTC will never threaten you, tell you to move money “to protect it,” or tell you to withdraw cash or buy gift cards or gold for someone. Anyone who does that is a scammer.
Protect Yourself Going Forward
A few simple habits make identity theft much harder:
- Guard your Social Security number. The IRS, your bank, and your employer may need it — but they will not call, email, or text to ask for it. If someone does, it is a scammer.
- Use strong passwords and turn on two-factor authentication wherever it is offered. Two-factor means you need a second step to log in — like a code texted to your phone — so a stolen password alone is not enough.
- Shred documents with personal information before throwing them away. No shredder? Look for a community shred day, or black out account numbers with a marker.
- Do not share personal information with anyone who calls, emails, or texts you out of the blue.
Get a Free or Low-Cost Computer to Get Back Online Safely
Recovering from identity theft — and protecting yourself afterward — is easier with a safe, working device. If you do not have one, several organizations serve New York City residents:
- Computers 4 People — a nonprofit that provides refurbished laptops, desktops, and tablets at no cost to people in New York City (and partners with hundreds of community organizations). Donated devices go through a certified data-erasure process before being refurbished. Learn more at computers4people.org.
- Give IT Get IT (New York) — provides low-cost refurbished computers plus technology training and ongoing support for underserved communities.
Programs and availability can change, so confirm current eligibility and supply directly with each organization before you apply.
Free Home Internet for NYCHA Residents: Big Apple Connect
If you live in public housing, you may be able to get home internet for $0 a month. Big Apple Connect is a New York City program that gives residents of participating New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments free high-speed home internet and basic cable TV, including the modem, router, and cable box.
Who qualifies for Big Apple Connect: All residents of participating NYCHA developments served by the program. There are no income forms and no income requirements — eligibility is based on living in a participating development. The City has extended the program through June 2028, covering roughly 330,000 residents across about 220 NYCHA sites.
How to sign up: Check whether your development participates and enroll through the City’s official page at access.nyc.gov (search “Big Apple Connect”), or call the provider for your development — Optimum at 866-580-1410 or Spectrum at 866-960-1754. For other affordable home-internet options across the city, see our guide to New York’s Affordable Broadband Act $15 plan.
If you also want free public WiFi while you are out, our guide to free WiFi in NYC covers LinkNYC kiosks, parks, and libraries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost money to recover from identity theft?
No. The core tools are free: reporting at IdentityTheft.gov, placing fraud alerts, freezing your credit, and getting your free credit reports. You can do all of these yourself without paying a company.
What is the difference between a fraud alert and a credit freeze?
A fraud alert tells businesses to verify your identity before opening new credit, but they can still see your report. A credit freeze is stronger — it blocks anyone from opening a new account at all until you lift it. Both are free. For a fraud alert you contact one bureau; for a freeze you must contact all three.
I do not speak English well. Can I still get help?
Yes. Call 1-877-438-4338 and press 3 to report identity theft in your preferred language; interpreters are available 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern. You can also report online in Spanish at RobodeIdentidad.gov.
How do I report a scam if I never lost any money?
Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and click “Report Now.” You can and should report even if no money was lost — it helps law enforcement stop scammers targeting others.
How do I know a message claiming to be from the FTC is fake?
The real FTC will never threaten you, demand that you move money “to keep it safe,” or tell you to pay with cash, gift cards, or gold. Any message that does this is a scam.
Information verified against the Federal Trade Commission (consumer.ftc.gov, IdentityTheft.gov, ReportFraud.ftc.gov) and the City of New York (access.nyc.gov, Big Apple Connect) as of June 2026. Program details and pricing can change — confirm current information with each official source before acting.
