If someone used your personal information to open an account, an extended fraud alert can tell businesses to take extra steps to verify your identity before granting new credit. It does not block access to your credit report the way a freeze can. The key eligibility step is having an identity theft report, so gather that documentation before you request an extended alert.
- Make a record. Write down what happened, when you noticed it, and any accounts or inquiries you do not recognize.
- File an identity theft report. Use the Federal Trade Commission’s identity theft reporting process or report the theft to law enforcement, then keep a copy of the report.
- Ask for the extended alert. Contact one of the nationwide credit reporting companies and ask it to place an extended fraud alert using your identity theft report.
- Check the result. Confirm the alert is on your reports and review the reports for unfamiliar activity.
- Compare the protections. An alert asks businesses to verify identity; a freeze generally restricts access to a credit report for new-credit decisions.
- Keep the paperwork. Save the report, request confirmation, and notes from calls or messages with the credit reporting companies.
- Follow up on errors. Dispute information you believe is inaccurate with the credit reporting company and the business that supplied it.
What a fraud alert does, and what it does not do
A fraud alert is a notice on your credit file. When a business checks your report to consider a new credit application, the alert asks the business to take reasonable steps to confirm that the applicant is you. You can include a phone number where a business can reach you for that check. The alert is a warning and verification request, not a guarantee that no one can open an account in your name.
A credit freeze is a different tool. It generally limits a credit reporting company from releasing your report to a business considering a new account, subject to exceptions under law. That can make it harder for a thief to use your information to apply for credit, but it can also mean you need to lift the freeze when you apply. The FTC explains the differences in its guide to credit freezes and fraud alerts and its fraud alert and freeze FAQ.
Who can request an extended alert
An initial fraud alert is available to people who believe they may be identity theft victims. An extended alert has a narrower requirement: you must be an identity theft victim and provide an identity theft report. The report documents the theft. A report made through the FTC’s identity theft reporting process or a report to law enforcement can serve as documentation. Do not assume that a general police incident number or a record of a suspicious transaction automatically meets the credit reporting company’s requirements. Check the FTC’s current instructions and keep a copy of the report you submit.
You do not need to buy credit monitoring to request an alert. The FTC describes fraud alerts and freezes as separate consumer protections. If a credit reporting company asks for information to confirm your identity or for the required report, follow its instructions and save your submission confirmation. An active-duty alert is a separate category with different eligibility rules, so this guide does not treat it as a substitute for an extended alert.
How long it lasts, what it costs, and how to request it
An initial fraud alert lasts one year. An extended fraud alert lasts seven years. Placing either type of alert is free. A credit freeze is also free under federal law. These protections do not require a paid monitoring service. The FTC’s consumer guidance covers the distinction between alerts and freezes; check it for current instructions before submitting a request.
You can request an extended alert from one nationwide credit reporting company. That company is required to notify the other two, so you generally do not need to file the same alert request separately with all three. Keep a dated copy of your request and check your reports afterward to make sure the alert appears. If you are applying for credit while an alert is active, a lender may need to take an extra verification step. Be prepared to respond to a call or other identity check, and allow time for the application process.
Expiration and removal are different. An alert ending after its term does not mean you removed it early. A freeze is also separate: if you have one, you may need to lift it for a particular application or remove it through the credit reporting companies. Confirm the steps with the company holding the freeze. Do not assume that asking to lift a freeze also removes a fraud alert, or the reverse.
What to do after the alert is placed
Use the alert as one part of a recovery plan. Review your credit reports from all three nationwide credit reporting companies, even if you requested the alert through only one. Look for accounts, credit inquiries, addresses, or other details you do not recognize. An unfamiliar item may need to be disputed separately; the alert itself does not erase inaccurate information or close an account opened by someone else.
If you find an account you did not open, contact the business listed on the report and explain that you believe the account resulted from identity theft. Ask what documentation it needs to investigate, and keep copies of what you send. You can also dispute inaccurate information with the credit reporting company. Record the date, the item you challenged, and any response. Follow the FTC’s identity theft recovery instructions for additional steps, and keep your identity theft report with those records.
Reviewing reports and following up can take more than one round. If the alert is missing, the report does not match your request, or you are unsure which document is needed, contact the credit reporting company and ask how to correct the issue. The alert adds a verification step. Your report, records, and follow-up help you track the rest of the recovery process.
Please seek a professional. This article is general information, not financial, tax or insurance advice. Please seek a licensed financial, tax or insurance professional about your own situation.
