U.S. flag
          An official website of the United States government
            Here’s how you know
          Here's how you knowDot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**
                
                Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.
          Https**The site is secure.**
                
                The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

    
          CFG: Translation Menu
  

        


      EspañolReport Fraud
                                
                          
        
                Read Consumer Alerts
                                
                          
        
                Get Consumer Alerts
                                
                          
        
                Visit ftc.gov **
Menu


    close


                  CFG: Main Menu Mega
  

        
  
  Show/hide Shopping and Donating menu items
                    Shopping and Donating

Make smart shopping decisions, know your rights, and solve problems when you shop or donate to charity.

View Shopping and Donating

  Video
    
          Topics
Topics
  

        
        Shopping
                For the Home
                Health
                Funerals
                Buying and Owning a Car
                Donating to Charity
    
          Consumer Alerts
            
          Your right to get information about funeral services by phone
        

January 25, 2024


Alvaro Puig


Whether you’re making funeral arrangements for a loved one in another state, or simply can’t or don’t want to meet with the funeral provider in person to learn about the goods and services they offer, the FTC’s Funeral Rule gives you the right to get accurate information over the phone. FTC investigators recently discovered many violations of the Funeral Rule, including some providers that didn’t give accurate price information over the phone and others that didn’t give out any price information over the phone.
    
                      View all Consumer Alerts
Get Consumer Alerts
          
      Show/hide Credit, Loans, and Debt menu items
                    Credit, Loans, and Debt

Learn about getting and using credit, borrowing money, and managing debt.

View Credit, Loans, and Debt

  Video
    
          Topics
Topics
  

        
        Credit and Debt
                Loans and Mortgages
    
          Consumer Alerts
            
          What to do if you can’t make car payments
        

November 29, 2023


Colleen Tressler


Trouble making car payments? Worried about repossession? Unexpected life events, like a job loss or drop in income, may affect your ability to pay your bills, including car payments. If you’re worried that you won’t be able to make your next car payment, take action as soon as possible. If you get behind on your payments, your lender could repossess your car — sometimes without warning. Read on to learn what to do.
    
                      View all Consumer Alerts
Get Consumer Alerts
          
      Show/hide Jobs and Making Money menu items
                    Jobs and Making Money

What to know when you're looking for a job or more education, or considering a money-making opportunity or investment.

View Jobs and Making Money

  Video
    
          Topics
Topics
  

        
        Money-Making Opportunities and Investments
                Jobs
                Education and Training
    
          Consumer Alerts
            
          Job scams targeting college students are getting personal
        

December 27, 2023


Lesley Fair


If you’ll be seeing college-age relatives over the holidays, warn them about a variation on the “job interview” scam that students looking for summer or permanent employment have reported to us.
    
                      View all Consumer Alerts
Get Consumer Alerts
          
      Show/hide Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts menu items
                    Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts

What to do about unwanted calls, emails, and text messages that can be annoying, might be illegal, and are probably scams.

View Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts

  Video
    
          Topics
Topics
  

        
        Unwanted Calls
                Unwanted Emails, Texts, and Mail
    
          Consumer Alerts
            
          Fake shipping notification emails and text messages: What you need to know this holiday season
        

December 14, 2023


Alvaro Puig


When you order something online, you might get several emails or text messages about your order: Confirming your order. Telling you it shipped. Saying it's out for delivery. Notifying you about delivery. Did you know that scammers send fake package shipment and delivery notifications to try to steal people's personal information — not just at the holidays, but all year long? Here's what you need to know to protect yourself from these scams.
    
                      View all Consumer Alerts
Get Consumer Alerts
          
      Show/hide Identity Theft and Online Security menu items
                    Identity Theft and Online Security

How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same.

View Identity Theft and Online Security

  Video
    
          Topics
Topics
  

        
        Identity Theft
                Online Privacy and Security
                Protecting Kids Online
    
          Consumer Alerts
            
          Fake shipping notification emails and text messages: What you need to know this holiday season
        

December 14, 2023


Alvaro Puig


When you order something online, you might get several emails or text messages about your order: Confirming your order. Telling you it shipped. Saying it's out for delivery. Notifying you about delivery. Did you know that scammers send fake package shipment and delivery notifications to try to steal people's personal information — not just at the holidays, but all year long? Here's what you need to know to protect yourself from these scams.
    
                      View all Consumer Alerts
Get Consumer Alerts
          
      Scams
          
      Search
            Show/hide Search menu items
                    Items per page
  
  
  

  2050100

Filters
      Fulltext search
        
        
        CFG: Translation Menu
  

        


      EspañolReport Fraud
                                
                          
        
                Read Consumer Alerts
                                
                          
        
                Get Consumer Alerts
                                
                          
        
                Visit ftc.gov

        CFG: Main Navigation
  

          
  
          Shopping and Donating
              Show/hide Shopping and Donating menu items
      
                
  
          Shopping
      
    
              For the Home
      
    
              Health
      
    
              Funerals
      
    
              Buying and Owning a Car
      
    
              Donating to Charity
      
    
              Credit, Loans, and Debt
              Show/hide Credit, Loans, and Debt menu items
      
                
  
          Credit and Debt
      
    
              Loans and Mortgages
      
    
              Jobs and Making Money
              Show/hide Jobs and Making Money menu items
      
                
  
          Money-Making Opportunities and Investments
      
    
              Jobs
      
    
              Education and Training
      
    
              Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts
              Show/hide Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts menu items
      
                
  
          Unwanted Calls
      
    
              Unwanted Emails, Texts, and Mail
      
    
              Identity Theft and Online Security
              Show/hide Identity Theft and Online Security menu items
      
                
  
          Identity Theft
      
    
              Online Privacy and Security
      
    
              Protecting Kids Online
      
    
              Scams
              Show/hide Scams menu items
      
                
  
          Gift Card Scams
      
    
              Government and Business Impersonators
      
    
              Phone Scams
      
    
              Romance Scams
      
    
              Scams Against Immigrants
      
    
              Scams Against Older Adults
      
    
              Scams Against Small Businesses
      
    
              Wire Transfer ScamsItems per page
  
  
  

  2050100

Filters
      Fulltext search Identity Theft
  



  


  Breadcrumb
      Home
                                                                        Feature PagesVea esta página en español Share this page

Recovering from Identity Theft

Is someone using your personal information to open accounts, file taxes, or make purchases? Visit IdentityTheft.gov, the federal government’s one-stop resource to help you report and recover from identity theft.
  
    
        Data Breach? Lost Info?


Did you get a notice that says a company lost your personal information in a data breach? Did you lose your wallet? Or learn that an online account was hacked? Here are steps you can take to help protect yourself from identity theft.
    Protecting Your Identity


What can you do to keep your personal info secure? Are identity protection services worth the cost? What about credit freezes? Check out the FTC’s identity theft articles to find out.
    Free Resources for Your Community


You can help people learn about identity theft — whether you’re chatting with friends and family, sharing info on a social networking site, or taking resources to a religious group or PTA meeting. It’s easy to use and share these free resources from the FTC.

Free Identity Theft Resources
Free booklets — in English and Spanish — can help people in your community protect their identity and recover if an identity thief strikes.
Identity theft videosPost our videos on your blog or site. Use the “share” button in the upper right corner of the videos.**5 Ways to Help Protect Your Identity**

Powered by vimeo embed video generator

Share this video using the links in the player above or use the YouTube version.



**IdentityTheft.gov Helps You Report and Recover from Identity Theft**

Powered by vimeo embed video generator

Share this video using the links in the player above or use the YouTube version.
    For Law Enforcement


Local police can help identity theft victims by:

encouraging them to create an Identity Theft Report and get a personal recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov
sharing free identity theft resources from the FTC
taking a police report if asked. Some businesses require a police report to remove fraudulent debts from a victim's account.
    For Attorneys and Advocates


The FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov can assist attorneys who counsel identity theft victims. The site provides victims with a personal recovery plan, walking through each step to take. It also provides pre-filed letters and forms to send to credit bureaus, businesses, and debt collectors.
    For Businesses


Many companies keep sensitive information about customers or employees in their files or on their network. The FTC hasfree data security resourcesto help businesses of any size protect their customers and meet their legal obligations, and free resources especially designed to help small businesses protect against cyber attacks.Return to top **
Menu
CFG: Footer Menu
  

        
    
    Feature Pages
                                
                          
        
                Articles
                                
                          
        
                Consumer Alerts
                                
                          
        
                VideosCFG: Footer Menu Right
  

        


      Report Fraud
                              Get Consumer Alerts
  
  
      CFG: Footer
  

        


      ftc.gov
                              About Us
                              Contact Us
                              Privacy and Notices
                              FOIA
                              Office of Inspector General