On average, it can take 100 to 200 hours over six months to undo identity theft. The recovery process may involve working with the three major credit bureaus to request a fraud alert; reviewing your credit reports to pinpoint fraudulent activity; and reporting the theft.
Steps involved in resolving identity theft:
Before we look more closely at how long it takes to correct identity theft, let’s review the steps involved in the recovery process.
1. Request a fraud alert
The first step is to call each of the major credit bureaus and request a fraud alert. This will make it much harder for thieves to open new lines of credit in your name. There are different types of fraud alerts, and each serves a unique purpose:
Initial fraud alert — Use this alert, which lasts 90 days, if you have reason to believe someone stole your identity
Extended fraud alert — Use this alert, which lasts seven years, if you are certain your identity was stolen
Active duty alert — Use this alert, which lasts up to one year, if you are in the military and deployed
2. Review your credit reports and note all fraudulent accounts
Reach out to Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian and explain that you have been a victim of identity theft and you need copies of your credit reports immediately. When you receive your reports, review them thoroughly for any inaccuracy. Note any fraudulent data and compile a list of all businesses you need to contact. You will also need to send letters to each bureau requesting they remove fraudulent accounts from your credit report.
3. Contact all of the companies where you know fraud happened
Contact each company for every account you don’t recognize and explain that you are the victim of identity theft. Request that they freeze or close all accounts the thief opened or exploited. If fraud occurred at a company you do business with, immediately update your security settings and change your PIN.
4. Create an official Identity Theft Report
The next step is to file an official report at IdentityTheft.gov. This is a great resource for both reporting the crime as well as receiving step-by-step advice on how to handle your recovery. They will even provide you with official letters and documents you can use in your correspondence with credit bureaus and businesses.
For more information, about undoing identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission's official “Recovering from Identity Theft” page.
Factors that determine how long it takes to repair your identity:
Although cases of identity theft will be unique to each victim’s circumstances, three key factors impact how long the path to recovery might take.
How long did the theft go undetected?
When identity theft is undetected for long periods of time, the correction process can be lengthy as well.
Thieves will continue to exploit a victim’s identity until they no longer can — and the longer the theft goes on, the harder it can be to untangle.
Being able to use stolen data for extended periods of time is one of the reasons identity thieves often target children. In addition to generally having clean credit, children don’t usually apply for credit until college or when they’re ready to purchase a car, meaning the crime can go undetected for years.
How was your personal data used?
Another contributing factor to how long it will take to restore a stolen identity is determining how the stolen data was used. Here are some critical questions to answer:
Was your data used by the thief who took it, or has it been sold on the dark web? If your data was circulated on the dark web, it could be sold over and over again.
Was the thief apprehended? An arrest could temporarily put a stop to your problems, but you’ll still want to keep a close eye on your credit.
Did the identity thief use your personal information to get medical care? When thieves get medical care under your name, their medical conditions and history can become mixed in with yours, creating significant problems when you’re seeking treatment.
Are you restoring your identity yourself?
One of the most important determining factors in how long it takes to restore your identity is whether or not you use an identity theft protection service. Working with specialists can make a tremendous difference.
The research. The phone calls. Juggling your work schedule. Not only is the DIY approach time consuming, but it can also be incredibly frustrating. This is why we recommend working with a company like ours that specializes in identity and privacy protection. We know the world of identity theft inside and out, and we’ll also be able to assist you with some of the most tedious tasks, like making phone calls and filing paperwork.
No matter how long it takes to remediate your case, if you’re a member and you’re hit with identity theft, we’ll be with you from start to finish — and that’s a promise.
We can help you with getting you back on track.