Identity Theft Recovery in the US and Beyond
Follow a practical recovery plan for suspected identity theft, with reporting and account review steps for the United States, Colombia, and Brazil after misuse.
Start by containing active misuse
Contact affected banks or providers through verified channels. Report unauthorized activity and ask what can be restricted or reversed. Secure your main email account, review recovery settings, and end unfamiliar sessions. Preserve evidence before deleting messages. If your phone service disappeared unexpectedly, contact the mobile carrier because account recovery messages may be at risk.
United States: report and review credit
Use the FTC's IdentityTheft.gov process to report identity theft and create a recovery plan. Contact affected organizations and dispute fraudulent records. Consider free credit freezes at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. For tax identity theft, follow IRS guidance. Keep your reports and correspondence together, since different organizations may need different documents to investigate your case.
Colombia: dispute records and report impersonation
Contact the lender, mobile operator, or other provider involved and request a documented investigation. Review DataCrédito and TransUnion records and dispute inaccurate entries. Report suspected crime to the Fiscalía through official channels. Police CAI Virtual can guide digital incident reporting. Consult the SIC about applicable personal data rights and complaint procedures when corrections remain unresolved.
Brazil: check relationships and document the case
Review relevant reports through Banco Central's Registrato and contact institutions you do not recognize. Dispute unauthorized accounts or loans through each institution's official process. File a boletim de ocorrência using the appropriate state police channel. Keep protocol numbers and written responses. Escalate unresolved issues through the institution's complaint process and the relevant official consumer channels.