Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information to open new accounts.

If you believe you are (or may be) a victim of identity theft, follow these steps to help you to protect yourself.

The Identity Theft Assistance Kit (PDF) provides a checklist to help you keep track of the companies and organizations you should contact if you believe you have experienced identity theft.

Step 1. Contact Wells Fargo right away

Wells Fargo customers should call us immediately at 1-800-869-3557.

We will work with you to understand the situation and advise you how to protect your Wells Fargo accounts.

If you need assistance, we accept all relay calls, including 711.

Step 2. Contact the credit bureaus

Contact one of the three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report. 

The credit bureau you contact will notify the others to add the fraud alert to your report. 

Fraud alerts are free and require companies to verify your identity before opening any new accounts in your name.

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 or www.equifax.com
• Experian: 1-888-397-3742 or www.experian.com
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289 or www.transunion.com

Another option is to contact each of the credit bureaus to add a credit freeze. Freezing your credit prevents anyone but you from accessing your credit. That means you will need to temporarily lift the freeze in order to apply for credit. 

• Equifax: 1-888-298-0045 or www.equifax.com/freeze
• Experian: 1-888-397-3742 or www.experian.com/freeze
• TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800 or www.transunion.com/freeze

Request a free copy of your credit report from one of the bureaus or online at www.annualcreditreport.com.

Step 3. Contact other creditors

Contact your credit card companies, utility and phone providers, and other financial institutions to let them know of potential fraud or identity theft. Make sure that your personal information was not changed and activate multi-factor authentication by adding a PIN, password, or voice verification. Close any accounts that have been compromised and open new accounts with new passwords and PINs.

Step 4. File a report with the local police and the FTC

A police report provides proof of criminal activity which may help when contacting creditors to dispute charges or accounts opened in your name. Be sure to request a copy of the police report. File a report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov.

Additional steps to consider to help protect yourself:

• Activate 2-Step Verification at Sign-On for an additional layer of security.
• Update your passwords and security settings across all accounts.
• Set up alerts to help track your transactions and spot unusual activity quickly.
• Enroll in identity theft protection and credit monitoring services.
• Protect your identity after a data breach.
• Make sure your contact information is up to date so we can contact you if we see unusual activity on your accounts.

Learn more about Wells Fargo's Security Tools and Options.