Official resources and trusted links

All the official government sites, consumer protection resources, and trusted tools you need—in one place.

Credit bureaus

Free Annual Credit Reports

The only official source for your free annual credit reports from all three bureaus.

Government resources

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The primary federal agency for identity theft recovery and consumer protection.

IdentityTheft.gov — Official identity theft recovery tool
Consumer.FTC.gov — Consumer protection resources
ReportFraud.FTC.gov — Report fraud and scams

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Protect yourself from tax-related identity theft.

Social Security Administration

Protect your Social Security number and benefits.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Submit complaints about financial companies and access educational resources.

US Postal Service

Monitor your mail and protect against mail theft.

Informed Delivery — Get email previews of incoming mail

Specialty bureaus and registries

ChexSystems

Used by banks for checking/savings account applications.

NCTUE (National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange)

Used by utility companies for new account applications.

LexisNexis

Used for insurance, employment, and tenant screening.

Innovis

Fourth credit bureau used by some lenders.

Companion tools

Identity Protection Workbook cover

Identity Protection Workbook

A printable PDF to track your progress through credit freezes, fraud alerts, and all the steps in this guide. Keeps everything in one place.

Have I Been Pwned

Check if your email or phone number has appeared in data breaches. Created by security researcher Troy Hunt.

Free Credit Monitoring

Legitimate free monitoring services.

Credit Karma — TransUnion + Equifax
Experian Free — Experian monitoring

State resources

Your state Attorney General's office can help with identity theft and consumer protection issues. Many states have additional protections beyond federal law.