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Most people think identity theft means someone gets into a bank account or starts charging things to a credit card you already use.But there is another kind of identity theft that can be much harder to spot.A criminal can use your name,Social Security number, birthdate or other personal information to open a brand-new account in your name.And this problem is growing fast.Javelin Strategy &Research found that the number of new-account fraud victims jumped 31% in 2025, rising from 4.2 million to 5.4 million.That was the sharpest increase among the fraud types Javelin tracked.
The fraudulent account could be a credit card sent to an address you have never lived at.It could be a phone or utility account with a company you have never used.Someone could even try to open a buy now, pay later account using your identity.That is what makes this kind of fraud so sneaky.The criminal may never touch an account you already monitor, so there may be no suspicious charge staring back at you from your bank statement.You may find out only when a strange bill arrives, a lender checks your credit, a debt collector calls or you spot an account that clearly does not belong to you.The good news is there are ways to look for those clues before the problem gets even bigger.
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6 IN 10 IDENTITY CRIMES NOW BEGIN WITH A NEW ACCOUNT
New-account fraud can be difficult to detect because criminals may open credit cards, phone accounts or other services without touching accounts victims already monitor.Pasted markdown(Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
How new-account fraud usually works
With fraud on an account you already use, you have a decent chance of spotting it quickly.A strange purchase shows up, your bank sends an alert or your card suddenly stops working.New-account fraud can stay much quieter.A criminal applies for a new account using enough of your personal information to pose as you.If the application goes through, the account may be tied to an address, phone number or email account the criminal controls.As far as the lender or company knows, you opened it.The first clue could be a hard inquiry on your credit report, a new account you do not recognize or mail welcoming you to a service you never signed up for.But there is an important catch.Not every type of account appears on all three credit reports, and some phone, utility or buy now, pay later activity may not appear there.That is why checking your credit reports helps, but it should not be the only thing you watch.
Why new-account fraud keeps growing
Criminals have more stolen personal information to work with than ever.Years ofdata breacheshave exposed names, Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses, email addresses and other details that can help someone impersonate you.A criminal may also combine information from multiple breaches, phishing attacks or data broker records to build a much fuller picture of your identity.At the same time, opening financial and other accounts online has become incredibly convenient.You can apply from your couch and sometimes get a decision within minutes.That convenience works in our favor when we are the ones applying.It can also give criminals more opportunities to try stolen identities without ever walking into a bank or store.The Federal Reserve has also warned that digital account openings create new opportunities for fraudsters, especially as stolen personal information and more sophisticated technology become easier for criminals to use.
A closer look at how this can start
A criminal may not get everything needed to steal your identity from one breach.Your name and email could come from one leak.An older breach might expose other personal information.A people-search site may help fill in an address or phone number.Put enough pieces together and a criminal may have what they need to start testing your identity against lenders, retailers, phone carriers and other companies.That also helps explain why identity theft can seem to come out of nowhere.The information used against you may have been floating around for months or even years before someone decided to use it.
Where the evidence can show up
New-account fraud can leave clues in several places, and some of them are easy to miss if you do not know where to look.
- Your credit reports: Start here.Look for accounts and hard inquiries you do not recognize.Check Equifax, Experian and TransUnion because the information can differ from one bureau to another.You can currently get your reports from all three bureaus for free every week through AnnualCreditReport.com.Remember that a clean credit report does not rule out every kind of new-account fraud.Some accounts may not be reported to the major credit bureaus.
- Mail and email you did not expect: Watch for welcome letters, account statements, verification messages, approval notices or rejection letters tied to applications you never submitted.
- Calls or letters from debt collectors: Do not automatically dismiss a collection attempt because you do not recognize the debt.Ask what company originated the account and investigate it.
- Phone, utility and buy now, pay later activity: These accounts can sometimes fly under the radar because they may not appear on a traditional credit report.Account-monitoring services may offer additional alerts for some of these categories.
- Addresses or other information you do not recognize: Your credit report can also contain addresses and other identifying details.An unfamiliar entry deserves a closer look, especially if it appears alongside an account or inquiry you do not recognize.
5 steps to check right now
You do not need to wait for a strange bill or collection call to find out something is wrong.A few quick checks can help you spot signs of new-account fraud before it turns into a bigger problem.
1) Pull all three credit reports
Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and review your Equifax, Experian and TransUnion reports.Free reports are currently available weekly, so you can check all three at once or stagger your reviews throughout the year.
2) Look for anything unfamiliar
Pay close attention to accounts, hard inquiries, addresses and other information you do not recognize.If something looks strange, do not assume it is harmless.
3) Consider freezing your credit
A credit freeze can make it much harder for someone to open a new credit account in your name because lenders generally cannot access your frozen credit report.Freezes are free to place and lift, they do not hurt your credit score and they stay in place until you remove them.You need to contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion separately to freeze all three files.
4) Check your mail and email
Look for messages about accounts you never opened, especially welcome notices, bills, password-reset messages and application updates.
5) Turn on monitoring and alerts
Your bank and credit card companies may offer account alerts at no charge.Identity theft monitoringcan go further by watching for certain credit inquiries, new accounts and other signs that someone may be using your information.See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com .The faster you know something has changed, the faster you can investigate it.
IS YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ON THE DARK WEB?
Identity thieves can use stolen personal information to open new accounts, leaving victims unaware until an unfamiliar bill, credit inquiry or collection notice appears.(Photo by Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
What to do if you find a fraudulent account
If you spot an account you do not recognize, act quickly.These six steps can help you shut down the fraud, limit the damage and start cleaning up your records.
1) Contact the company where the account was opened
Call the company’s fraud department.Explain that you did not open the account and ask them to close or freeze it.Keep any confirmation they send you.
2) Report the identity theft
Go to IdentityTheft.gov and create an FTC Identity Theft Report and recovery plan.That report can also help when you dispute fraudulent information.
3) Place a fraud alert or credit freeze
A fraud alert tells businesses to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening new credit.An initial fraud alert is free, lasts one year and requires you to contact only one of the three major credit bureaus.That bureau must notify the other two.A credit freeze goes further by restricting access to your credit report.To freeze all three reports, contact each bureau separately.
4) Dispute fraudulent information
Contact any credit bureau showing the fraudulent account and ask it to block the identity-theft information from your report.To use the FTC’s blocking process, send the bureau a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report, proof of your identity and a letter identifying the fraudulent information.You can also dispute inaccurate information directly with the credit bureau.
5) Turn on monitoring and identity theft alerts
Your bank and credit card companies may offer account alerts at no charge, so turn those on first.Identity theft monitoring can add another layer by watching for certain credit inquiries, newly opened accounts and other signs that someone may be using your personal information.That can be especially helpful with new-account fraud because the criminal may never touch the accounts you already check.See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection atCyberGuy.com.
6) Keep a paper trail
Write down who you contacted, when you contacted them and what they told you.Save letters, emails, case numbers and copies of anything you submit.Those records can save you a lot of frustration if you need to follow up later.
9 WARNING SIGNS OF IDENTITY THEFT YOU SHOULD NEVER IGNORE
Checking all three credit reports can help consumers spot unfamiliar accounts, hard inquiries and other warning signs tied to identity theft.(Photo by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
New-account fraud can be especially tough to spot because the criminal may never touch the bank accounts or credit cards you already watch.That is exactly why I want you to check all three of your credit reports instead of waiting for a strange bill or collection call to show up.You can pull your reports for free, look for unfamiliar accounts or inquiries and consider freezing your credit when you are not applying for anything new.Then add alerts or identity monitoring if you want another set of eyes watching for activity you might otherwise miss.The big takeaway here is speed.A fraudulent account that sits unnoticed for months can turn into damaged credit, collections and a much bigger cleanup job.Catch it early and you have a far better chance of shutting it down before things snowball.
When was the last time you checked all three of your credit reports for an account you never opened?Let us know by writing to us atCyberGuy.com.
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