FTC Active-Duty Fraud Alert

The Federal Trade Commission helps consumers protect their information from fraud with credit freezes and fraud alerts, including the active-duty fraud alert. Freezes and fraud alerts can help protect you from identity theft and prevent misuse of your personal information if stolen.

A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report, blocking others from being able to open new credit accounts in your name. The freeze lasts until you remove it, and you have the option to temporarily lift the freeze at any time to apply for new credit. Anyone can freeze their credit report free of charge. Reach out to each of the three credit bureaus to get started.

If you suspect fraud on your credit report, you can place a fraud alert to make it harder for someone to open new accounts in your name. With the alert, a business must verify your identity before opening a new account. You will also be able to get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three bureaus. The alert lasts one year and can be renewed.

Like a regular fraud alert, an extended fraud alert makes it harder for someone to open a new account in your name by requiring businesses to contact you before opening a new account. Only those who’ve had their identity stolen and have filed a police report and completed an FTC identity theft report can place an extended fraud alert. With the extended fraud alert, you are also able to get a free copy of your credit report from each bureau twice within the year you filed the report. An extended fraud alert is free and lasts seven years.

Active-duty service members can contact one of the three credit bureaus and place an active-duty fraud alert. This will make it harder for someone to open a new credit account in your name because businesses must verify your identity before they issue a new credit account in your name. It also requires credit bureaus to take you off their marketing lists for unsolicited credit and insurance offers for two years. An active-duty fraud alert lasts one year and can be renewed for the length of your deployment.

For more information, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Advice website.

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