Monitor & Protect in Brooklyn, NY

Start by pulling your free annual credit reports and disputing any errors — with 555,243 CFPB complaints filed in New York, inaccuracies are common. NYC Financial Empowerment Centers in Brooklyn provide free one-on-one coaching to help you build a payment plan and reduce utilization. If you have thin credit, consider a secured credit card from a local credit union like Brooklyn Cooperative Federal Credit Union. New York's average credit score is 710, and consistent on-time payments combined with low utilization can help you reach that benchmark within 12 to 18 months.

File an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov, which generates a recovery plan and an FTC Identity Theft Report. Then file a police report with the NYPD — Brooklyn precincts accept identity theft reports in person. Place a free fraud alert or credit freeze with all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). New York's Identity Theft Prevention and Mitigation Services Act requires businesses that suffer data breaches to notify affected consumers and provide free credit monitoring. The New York Attorney General's Consumer Frauds Bureau at ag.ny.gov can assist with identity theft complaints involving businesses operating in the state.