Was your identity stolen? What to do in the first 24 hours

Discovering that your identity has been stolen can leave you feeling angry, frightened and unsure where to begin. Maybe someone drained your bank account, opened a credit card in your name or filed a fraudulent tax return using your . Whatever happened, your next steps can help limit the damage.

The first 24 hours are especially important because may continue using your information until you secure your accounts. Fortunately, you can take several steps right away to protect yourself and begin recovering.

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IDENTITY RESTORATION: WHAT TO DO AFTER IDENTITY THEFT

Identity theft can quickly spread beyond the account where you first discovered the problem. Someone who gains access to your email, for example, might use it to reset passwords for your banking, shopping or other accounts. That's why acting quickly can make a difference.

However, you don't have to solve everything in one day. Identity theft recovery can take weeks or even months, depending on the circumstances. Your immediate goal is to stop additional fraud, protect your information and create a record of what happened.

The following checklist breaks the process into manageable steps. The time frames are guidelines, so prioritize active fraud and compromised accounts rather than waiting for a particular hour.

Start with the accounts most likely to expose your money or personal information.

Important: If money has been stolen, report it to your financial institution immediately. Federal protections and reporting deadlines vary by account and transaction type.

Next, make it harder for criminals to open additional accounts using your personal information.

You can freeze your credit even if you expect to apply for a loan or credit card soon. Simply lift the freeze temporarily when necessary.

Creating an official record can help you dispute fraudulent accounts and recover your identity.

An FTC identity theft report can help you exercise certain rights under federal law, including requesting that credit bureaus block fraudulent information. However, you generally do not need to file an FTC report before notifying a bank about unauthorized transactions.

A SCAMMER HAS YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND ADDRESS. WHAT CAN THEY ACTUALLY DO?

Identity thieves sometimes try to use stolen information across multiple services.

Hours 16 to 24: Document everything

Once you've addressed the most urgent threats, organize your recovery efforts.

Even when you're moving quickly, certain mistakes can create additional problems.

9 WARNING SIGNS OF IDENTITY THEFT YOU SHOULD NEVER IGNORE

Some recovery tasks will continue beyond the first day, including disputing fraudulent accounts, correcting credit reports and following up with creditors. However, report unauthorized financial transactions immediately. Federal protections and reporting deadlines vary depending on th