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What to do if…
you get an alert that a new credit account was opened in your name

Short answer

Call the lender’s fraud department using a number you look up yourself (not the alert) and say you did not apply. Then place a credit freeze with each credit bureau (or, if you can’t yet, place a fraud alert) and create an IdentityTheft.gov report so you have an official paper trail to dispute the account.

Do not do these things

Don’t click links or call numbers in the alert until you’ve verified they’re legitimate (alerts are often used for phishing).
Don’t give out your Social Security number, passwords, or one-time codes to anyone who contacted you first.
Don’t pay a bill you don’t recognize to “keep it current” — first get it formally flagged as identity theft with the lender.
Don’t ignore mail from the lender or collections — unanswered contact can escalate.
Don’t send identity documents by regular email unless the company provides a secure, official upload method.

What to do now

Verify safely and contact the lender’s fraud department.
Find the lender’s official website/phone number independently. Tell them: “I did not open or apply for this account.” Ask them to:
- Close the application/account as identity theft
- Note that you dispute it and stop any further use
- Tell you what information was used to apply (address, phone, email)
- Provide a case/reference number and confirm in writing what they will do next
Freeze your credit with all three major bureaus (strongest immediate barrier).
A credit freeze helps stop most new credit from being opened in your name. You typically place and manage the freeze separately with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
If you can’t freeze immediately, place a fraud alert right away.
A fraud alert is weaker than a freeze, but it’s fast. You can place a fraud alert by contacting one bureau, and that bureau should notify the other two (this “one-and-done” routing applies to fraud alerts, not freezes).
Get your credit reports and look for other damage.
Pull your reports and scan for:
- The new account
- Any other unfamiliar accounts
- Hard inquiries you didn’t authorize
- New addresses, phone numbers, or name variants
  Save copies (PDF/screenshot) of anything you don’t recognize.
Create an IdentityTheft.gov report (FTC) for “new account.”
This creates an official Identity Theft Report and a step-by-step recovery plan you can use when disputing with lenders and credit bureaus.
Dispute the fraudulent account and inquiries with the credit bureaus.
File disputes with each bureau that shows the fraudulent item(s). Provide your IdentityTheft.gov report and any documentation they request, and ask for the fraudulent account/inquiry to be removed/blocked as identity theft.
Secure the accounts that can unlock everything else.
- Change your email password first and turn on multi-factor authentication.
- Change passwords for banking and credit logins; check for unknown devices/sessions.
- If you suspect a phone-number takeover, contact your mobile carrier and add extra account security (PIN/passcode).
Start a one-page log to reduce stress.
Record dates/times, who you spoke to, reference numbers, and what was agreed.

What can wait

Deciding whether to buy credit monitoring (free reports + freezes/alerts are the priority now).
Filing a police report unless a lender, bureau, or specific situation requires it (do it later if requested).
Longer-term cleanup steps (new account numbers, document replacement) unless you see additional confirmed misuse.

Important reassurance

An alert like this can feel urgent and personal — but there’s a clear sequence: stop new credit first, document the identity theft, then dispute and clean up. You don’t have to solve everything in one sitting; the first win is preventing more accounts from being opened.

Scope note

These are first steps only, focused on immediate damage control. Follow-on steps depend on what type of account it is, whether there are multiple inquiries, and what the lender/credit bureaus ask you to provide.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Requirements can vary by lender and bureau. If anything feels confusing or high-pressure, slow down and only act through official channels you independently verify.

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What to do if…you get an alert that a new credit account was opened in your name