I recently found myself being a victim of identity theft and fraud and my data has been breached so I’ve been targeted

Question

How do I help myself I just discovered on my social security account that someone stole my personal information and collected my tax return.

James L. Arrasmith · Answer

I'm very sorry you're going through this identity theft situation - it's incredibly stressful and violating when someone steals your personal information. Your immediate first step should be to contact the IRS Identity Protection Unit at 800-908-4490 and file Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) to report the stolen tax return. 
 
Next, file reports with both the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov and your local police department. These reports will help document the crime and may be needed for investigation. You'll also want to place fraud alerts with the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) and request your free credit reports to check for other suspicious activity. 
 
Make sure to contact your bank and credit card companies to alert them of potential fraud and change all your passwords, especially for financial accounts. Consider freezing your credit with the major bureaus - it's free and prevents new accounts from being opened in your name. Finally, monitor your credit reports closely over the next year and report any suspicious activity immediately. Remember, you're not alone in dealing with this, and there are people and resources available to help you recover.

Q: I recently found myself being a victim of identity theft and fraud and my data has been breached so I’ve been targeted