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How Can You Find Out If Your Identity Has Been Stolen?
Unfamiliar financial transactions on your bank account or credit card statements, suspicious credit report activity, and login issues with your online accounts are some of the most common early warning signs of identity theft. But these aren’t the only red flags that can tell you that your identity has been stolen.
Over 6.5 million Americans reported being victims of identity theft and fraud in 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
In 2025, identity theft and online fraud are poised to hit new highs as scammers take advantage of AI-powered tools, vast amounts of leaked data, and new techniques that enable them to easily target their victims.
The earlier you recognize the warning signs, the better chance you’ll have of shutting down identity thieves before they can do too much damage.
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How To Know If Your Identity Has Been Stolen
What makes identity theft such a dangerous crime is that there are so many different types of identity theft, so it’s often hard to know if you’re a victim.
While the following isn’t an exhaustive list of warning signs, it covers the latest and most common red flags that indicate your identity has been stolen:
1. Suspicious activity on your credit card and bank statements
Almost all identity thieves are financially motivated — which is why credit card fraud has been the most commonly reported type of identity theft for years.
Reports of credit card fraud spiked in early 2025, hitting an all-time high of 151,608 victims in the first three months alone.
Regularly check your credit card and bank statements for suspicious transactions, withdrawals, and transfers. Also, consider setting up transaction monitoring to prevent unauthorized purchases on your accounts.
In most cases, you won’t be liable for bank account fraud if you report suspicious activity quickly.
What can scammers do with your bank account number? While bank account numbers alone won’t give identity thieves immediate access to your savings, they can use them to commit ACH fraud, write fraudulent checks, or make unauthorized online purchases.
2. Mistakes and unfamiliar activity on your credit reports
Identity thieves can use stolen and leaked financial information to open new accounts or take out loans and lines of credit in your name. If this happens, your credit score can take a serious hit, causing lenders to reject your credit applications or give you less favorable interest rates.
Every American is entitled to receive free credit reports every week from all three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.
Regularly check each report for signs of identity theft, including:
- Fraudulent accounts
- Hard inquiries you didn’t request
- Inaccurate personal information (phone number, address, etc.)
- Incorrect employment history
3. Calls, mail, texts, or emails about unfamiliar debts and accounts
Any unfamiliar communication from a debt collector or collection agency is a cause for concern.
While it could be a mistake resulting from a lender not reporting your payments, it could also be a red flag that someone has used your identity to take out loans.
To be sure, ask for a debt validation letter. By federal law, debt collectors have to supply proof of your debt — including an itemized list of debts owed, past payment history, fees, and interest rates.
📌 Related: How To Spot a Fake Debt Collector →
4. Unexpected or missing physical mail
Both an increase and decrease in the physical mail you receive can be warning signs of ID theft.
- An increase in credit offers, junk mail, or unsolicited account information could signal that someone has used your identity to sign up for financial products.
- A decrease in expected mail, bills, and account statements can signal that scammers are either stealing your mail or have committed a change-of-address scam to try and access your sensitive mail — such as new credit cards, bank statements, or even a replacement driver’s license or Social Security card.
If scammers have tried to change your address, you should receive a Move Validation Letter (MVL) from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) that looks like this. If you didn’t request the change, contact the USPS immediately at 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777).
5. Your personal data was leaked in a data breach (or is on the Dark Web)
Being the victim of a data breach won’t immediately cause identity theft — but it does increase your chances of being targeted. This is especially true if sensitive information was leaked, such as your account passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security number (SSN).
Companies that are breached are legally required to notify impacted customers. However, this can often occur weeks or even months after the breach. Therefore, it’s a good idea to regularly monitor the Dark Web for your leaked data.
Aura scans billions of known illicit Dark Web marketplaces, forums, and websites for your most sensitive information.
6. An increase in spam and scam calls, texts, and emails
One of the most common warning signs indicating that you’re being targeted by identity thieves is an increase in spam and scam messages. Also known as “phishing,” these attacks attempt to get you to disclose sensitive information, send money and gift cards, or click on malicious links.
In 2025, cybersecurity researchers are warning of more advanced attacks, known as “Phishing 2.0.”
Instead of typically vague and obvious phishing messages, scammers now use stolen data and AI-powered tools (such as deepfake videos and phone calls) to craft personalized phishing attacks.
Here are a few warning signs of phishing attacks that you should look out for:
- Unknown and unexpected contact. All out-of-the-blue contact should be treated with caution — especially from anyone claiming to be from a government agency, financial institution, or law enforcement.
- A sense of urgency (via threats or time-restricted rewards). Scammers try to get you to act quickly and without thinking by threatening you with fees, fines, or jail time — or even by promising rewards.
- Requests for payment of any kind. As soon as someone asks for a money transfer, gift card numbers, or payment details, know that it’s most likely a scam.
- Unexpected password reset requests, two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, or payment confirmation texts. These are classic phishing scams. Before you click, log in directly to the service in question and confirm that the cited issue is real.
- Warning signs of an AI scam. Fraudsters use artificial intelligence (AI) to power fake phone calls or even videos. While these can be hard to spot, there are telltale warning signs — such as blurry or distorted edges or backgrounds in videos or flat voices and unnatural intonation in calls.
💡 When in doubt, reach out directly by using official contact methods. Whether someone is claiming to be a family member or a government representative, it’s always a good idea to confirm that people are who they say they are before you take action.
7. Issues with your tax return, Social Security statement, or government benefits
Some identity thieves may use your personal information to file a fraudulent tax return, gain illegal employment, or apply for government benefits.
- Tax identity theft. Look out for letters from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — especially a 4883C letter, which the agency sends when it suspects fraud or identity theft. If you catch the fraud first, you’ll need to include Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) with your paper return and mail it to the IRS address in your state.
- Employment identity theft. Be on the lookout for any Form W-2s or Form 1099s from employers that you don’t recognize. You can also check your Social Security Statement online to confirm your income and benefits.
- Government benefits fraud. Fraudsters may try to claim Unemployment Insurance (UI) or other benefits in your name. Watch out for any letters confirming benefits that you didn’t claim. You may also have legitimate benefits denied if someone else has already claimed them. You can dispute fraudulent benefits with your State’s office of the Department of Labor (DOL).
8. You can’t access your online accounts
Identity theft can lead to hackers taking over your email, social media, and even your online bank accounts. If you try to log in to an account and your password doesn’t work, it could mean that you’ve been hacked.
Follow the website or service’s guidance on recovering your account. Then, secure your account with unique and strong passwords, as well as two-factor authentication (2FA). Ideally, you should use an authenticator app like Authy or Google Authenticator to access 2FA (rather than via text messages).
Finally, check that no unknown devices are logged in to your account. Most online services allow you to log out of all sessions, which can kick out hackers while you update your account information.
Make sure your backup email address and phone number are correct. Hackers may change your backup information to prevent you from regaining access to your online accounts. Make sure you have the right information for your accounts.
9. Your health plan benefits are used up or you’ve lost coverage
Medical identity theft occurs when scammers use your personal information to take advantage of health benefits, order medication and medical equipment, or receive care. In extreme cases, this can have life-threatening consequences, as it may lead to incorrect information in your medical file.
If you’re notified that your health insurance benefits are used up and you know they shouldn’t be, contact your insurance provider immediately and request an account statement.
📌 Related: What Is a Data Breach? How To Protect Your Data →
10. Someone has committed crimes in your name
Some criminals may use your stolen identity to commit crimes — leaving you to deal with the fallout. Criminal identity theft can include warrants for your arrest, traffic tickets, or other infractions.
If you uncover crimes committed in your name, contact both your local police department as well as the agency where the crime was committed.
11. Your wallet, ID, or other sensitive documents are missing
If thieves come across your driver's license or Social Security card, they can use that information to commit identity fraud. Even losing other seemingly innocent documents (or devices) can put you at risk. This includes your phone, debit card, insurance card, passport, or credit card.
Make sure you report any lost IDs to the right authorities to prevent fraudsters from using them — for example, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Social Security Administration (SSA), or your health insurance company.
Beware of Identity Thieves Victimizing Your Family and Loved Ones
Identity thieves will target anyone — even children and the elderly. If you’re a parent or caregiver, you also need to look out for the safety and wellbeing of your family members.
Signs of child identity theft:
- Credit accounts, loans, and credit cards in your child’s name
- Notifications from the IRS that your child’s SSN has been used to file taxes
- Letters from bill collectors, pre-approved credit cards, or utility bills
- You or your child are denied government benefits or student loans
Signs of elder fraud and identity theft:
- Unusual financial activity or changes in spending habits
- Hesitation to talk about online activities
- Your loved one expresses fear about phone calls, texts, or emails
- Sudden change in an elderly family member’s credit score
What To Do If You Think Your Identity Has Been Stolen
Realizing you’ve been the victim of identity theft can be scary and even embarrassing. But the reality is that millions of Americans are targeted by identity thieves every year. Even if you’ve done everything right, a data breach can suddenly put you at risk.
Follow these steps as soon as you see any of the warning signs above:
- Proactively freeze your credit with the major credit reporting agencies. A credit freeze (or credit lock) can help stop scammers from taking out loans or opening new accounts in your name. Contact each of the three credit bureaus individually — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — and ask for a credit freeze. You can also use Aura’s app to lock your Experian credit file with a single click.
- Report identity theft to the FTC at identitytheft.gov. Immediately submit an identity theft report to the FTC online if your identity has been compromised. You’ll receive a personalized recovery plan as well as an official identity theft affidavit that you can use to dispute fraud.
- Check your credit report and bank statements. When you freeze your credit, you’ll also be given free credit reports to review for any errors or unauthorized accounts. Do the same with your bank account statements, as well.
- Contact the fraud departments of your bank and credit card companies. If you notice any fraud, contact your financial institutions immediately and ask them to cancel your cards and accounts and issue new ones.
- Secure your online accounts. Update passwords and enable 2FA. Start with your compromised and most sensitive accounts (email, bank accounts, etc.).
- Scan your devices for malware. If you clicked on a phishing link or visited a fake website, your device could be infected. Use reputable antivirus software to scan your devices for malware, spyware, and other viruses.
- Consider filing a report with local law enforcement. If your safety is at risk or you have information that could lead to an arrest, file a police report. You can also report fraud to the FTC and the FBI online.
- Continue to monitor your sensitive accounts and information. Identity theft is almost never a one-time event. Continue to check your credit report, bank accounts, and sensitive personal information for misuse. This is where an identity theft protection provider can come in handy.
📌 Related: How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft →
Identity Theft Is a Serious Crime — Aura Can Help You Stay Safe
Dealing with identity theft can be a nightmare. It entails canceling bank accounts and credit cards, filing reports and disputes, and you may even need to change your SSN.
But you don’t have to go through it alone.
Aura’s award-winning identity theft protection solution helps proactively protect you against identity theft and fraud. If the worst should happen, Aura offers invaluable 24/7 U.S.-based support and generous identity theft insurance coverage.
