If you have reason to believe you have been a victim of identity theft, you have the right to ask that a fraud alert be placed on your consumer reports: 1) Initial fraud alert that lasts 90 days, which you can renew indefinitely, 2) Extended fraud alert that lasts 7 years, OR 3) Active duty military alert that lasts 1 year. Fraud alerts won’t prevent you from getting credit, but they will require potential creditors to contact you for verification first.