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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesIf someone used your identity to apply for a mortgage, contact the lender’s fraud department using contact details you verify independently, report the identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, and find out whether the application became a loan. Then address any fraudulent credit-report entry or recorded property document through the process for that specific problem. These steps apply to the United States; a recorded mortgage or deed of trust may require local legal help.
First find out what happened
“Someone applied for a mortgage in my name” can describe several different events, and they do not all call for the same response. A lender may have received an application that is still pending; it may have opened or funded a loan; a credit bureau may show an inquiry or account; or a mortgage-related instrument may have been recorded in county property records. A credit-report dispute does not, by itself, resolve a recorded property document.
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- Verify the lender. Use the lender’s official website or a statement to find its contact information. Do not rely on a phone number, link, or callback request in an unexpected email, text, or call.
- Ask its fraud department what exists. State that you did not apply for or authorize the mortgage. Ask whether the application is pending, whether a loan was opened or funded, and what steps the lender will take to flag the matter and stop processing if it has not closed. Ask for the lender’s case number and written instructions.
- Check for the other signs of a completed event. Review your credit reports for unfamiliar mortgage inquiries or accounts. If property is involved, check with the relevant county recording office for a mortgage or deed of trust recorded against it.
Contacting the company where the fraud occurred and promptly clarifying the status are consistent with FTC identity-theft recovery guidance and CFPB guidance on mortgage-servicer disputes and information requests.
Take these protective steps promptly
Report the identity theft
Submit a report at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC provides an Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan based on the information you submit. Save or print both, along with any confirmation details. You may need the report when you ask a lender or credit bureau to address fraudulent information.
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Consider a fraud alert or credit freeze
Both are free protections, but they work differently. A fraud alert asks creditors to take steps to verify an applicant’s identity. A freeze restricts prospective creditors’ access to your credit file, which can make it harder for someone to open new credit using your information. A freeze can also delay or impede your own applications for new credit, and it does not stop someone from taking over an existing account.
| Protection | How to place it | Duration and effect |
|---|---|---|
| Initial fraud alert | Contact one of Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion; that bureau must notify the other two. | Free and lasts one year. It asks creditors to take steps to verify identity. |
| Extended fraud alert | Contact a nationwide credit bureau and provide an FTC Identity Theft Report. | Free and lasts seven years for an identity-theft victim. It asks creditors to take steps to verify identity. |
| Credit freeze | Request one separately from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus; one bureau does not place freezes with the others. | Free and remains until you lift or remove it. It restricts prospective creditors’ access to your file. |
The FTC’s identity-theft rights guidance and the CFPB’s identity-theft guidance explain these protections. Choose based on the risk and whether you expect to apply for credit soon; neither alert nor freeze is a substitute for resolving a fraudulent mortgage already in process.
Review your credit reports
Get your reports through AnnualCreditReport.com, the official federally authorized source identified in FTC guidance. The FTC says reports can be checked weekly for free. Look for unfamiliar mortgage inquiries, accounts, balances, and other signs of identity theft. Keep a copy of the report and note each item you did not authorize.
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Decide whether to make a police report
A local police report may be useful or may be requested by a lender, but the FTC does not say it is mandatory in every identity-theft case. If you file one, bring your FTC Identity Theft Report, photo identification, proof of address, and any evidence you have; keep a copy of the report. The FTC recovery checklist describes what to bring.
If the application is still pending
Ask the lender’s fraud team to flag the application as identity theft and stop processing while it investigates. Ask what documentation it needs and how to submit it securely. Keep the case number, the name or identifier of each person you speak with, the date, and what the lender said it would do. Follow up in writing so there is a clear record of your claim and the lender’s response.
Do not assume that a declined application or removal of a credit inquiry resolves the matter. Confirm with the lender whether an account was opened or funded, and check your credit reports for an account or other unfamiliar activity.
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If a loan or mortgage account was opened
Ask the lender for its written fraud-dispute instructions and for records related to the application and loan. FTC guidance says identity-theft victims can request business records related to the theft. Preserve the lender’s response and any documents it provides.
If the account appears on a credit report, send each credit reporting company the materials needed to identify and block the fraudulent information:
- A copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report.
- Proof of your identity.
- A letter that clearly identifies each fraudulent item you want blocked.
According to the CFPB, a credit reporting company must block qualifying fraudulent information within four business days after receiving the requested materials and notify the company that furnished it. A bureau can refuse or remove a block if the information submitted is incorrect or the debt did not result from identity theft. Only dispute an account as identity theft if that is what happened.
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Also ask the lender to correct its own records and stop furnishing the fraudulent account as yours. Request written confirmation that the account is not yours and that the lender corrected or closed it, as applicable. Keep that confirmation in case the account reappears. A credit-file block and a lender’s correction are related but separate follow-up items.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If a mortgage or deed of trust appears in property records
A mortgage or deed of trust is a legal instrument connected to a mortgage and may be recorded alongside a property deed. If you find one you did not authorize, obtain a copy from the county recorder, register of deeds, or equivalent local office. Identify the purported lender and settlement agent from the document, then notify the lender and local law enforcement. Ask the recording office how it flags suspected fraud and what process applies to correcting its public records.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →There is no single nationwide cancellation process established by the sources cited here; local recording procedures and property remedies vary. Do not assume that disputing a credit-report entry removes an instrument from land records. If the property’s title, a sale, or a foreclosure is at risk, contact a qualified local real-estate or consumer-law attorney promptly. The CFPB’s after-closing guidance explains the role of mortgage-related documents; its guidance also points people served with legal papers or facing imminent foreclosure toward legal help.
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Keep communications safe and create a paper trail
Use independently verified contact details
Financial institutions and government agencies can be impersonated. If an unexpected caller says they can protect your money or fix the fraud, do not transfer money or provide account credentials. End the interaction and contact the institution using a number or web address you obtained independently. The CFPB identity-theft guidance warns about impostors posing as institutions or government agencies.
Write to the servicer when the issue involves an account or servicing
If a mortgage servicer is involved, a written notice can make your dispute or request easier to document. Include your name, address, account number if available, and a precise explanation of the suspected error or information you want. Send it to the servicer’s designated address for these notices—not the address used for payment coupons. The CFPB’s servicer guidance says servicers generally acknowledge receipt within five business days and respond within 30 business days, with possible extensions under the rules it describes.
That page also says an actual borrower should continue making scheduled payments while waiting for a response. If you are the person whose identity was used and you dispute that the account is yours, avoid admitting responsibility or making payments on it just to resolve the contact. Seek individualized advice if you receive collection or foreclosure notices.
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Escalate an unresolved mortgage-company problem
If the lender or servicer does not resolve the issue, submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. USA.gov identifies the CFPB as a channel for unresolved mortgage-company complaints. If foreclosure papers arrive or a sale appears imminent, contact a local attorney promptly; a HUD-approved housing counselor may also be able to help.
Organize your recovery records
Keep a file—paper or digital—with the FTC report, any police report, copies of identity documents you sent, letters and forms, proof of delivery, lender and bureau case numbers, and written confirmations. Maintain a contact log with the date, person or department, a short summary, and the promised next step. The FTC recommends keeping copies of letters and noting whom you contacted and when. A document organizer is optional; no purchase is necessary to follow these steps.
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