Overview of identity theft

If you suspect your identity has been stolen, it's important to act fast. Identity theft is when a person uses another person's personal information (such as name, Social Security Number, credit card or bank account information) to do things like open bank accounts or make purchases. This often happens when someone’s wallet that includes a driver’s license, credit card, or insurance information is lost or stolen. Identity theft is a crime that often has severe consequences for the victim. Victims (and potential victims) of identity theft can take steps to protect their names, reputations, and credit. Once you determine you are a victim of identity theft, report it at IdentityTheft.gov and get a free personal recovery plan.

Some red flags to watch for if you think you've been a victim of identity theft:

• Unknown charges on a bank statement,
• Fraudulent criminal charges on a record,
• Bills from a hospital or a doctor you've never seen,
• New bank or credit card accounts opened in your name, or
• A tax return is filed in your name.

How to avoid identity theft

There are many ways that thieves can get your identity:

• Your wallet,
• Your online accounts,
• Your mailbox, or
• Your garbage.

Thieves can steal your identity by stealing your wallet and using the credit cards and identification cards inside it. To protect yourself you should avoid doing certain things:

• Never carry your Social Security card with you,
• Don't write down your PINs, and
• If your wallet or purse is stolen, report the theft immediately.

If you report the theft of credit card(s) or checks before any charges are made, you won't be responsible for those charges. The longer you wait to file a report, the more money you might be responsible for paying back. So report the card as soon as you become aware of the theft.

Thieves can steal your identity by hacking into your online accounts. To protect your online accounts, you should:

• Check your account security,
• Use a password manager and create strong passwords, and
• Set up two-factor authentication.

Read our blog post about lawyers protecting their client's information.

Tips for creating a strong password and safeguarding passwords:

• Use a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols,
• Don't use personal information like your birthday or your pet's name,
• Don't save your passwords on computers that aren't your own. There are mobile apps you can use to store all your passwords in one place safely., and
• Don't send someone a password by email or text message.

Thieves can steal your identity by taking documents from your garbage or mail. To protect your identity:

• Don't let your mail sit in your mailbox,
• Rip up or shred any documents with your personal information, and
• Opt out of new credit cards so that companies won't send you offers in the mail.

Thieves will sometimes try to obtain personal information from you on the phone, via mail, or in person. To protect yourself, make sure make sure you trust the company. Don't disclose your personal information or passwords to anyone, if you are uncertain of their identity. Use only authorized and trusted channels to verify your information.

If you suspect identity theft, you should review your credit report. Remember, you get one free credit report per year from each of the reporting companies. Do not pay for it. You can obtain a credit report through Annual Credit Report. You can also place a fraud alert on your credit report if you don't plan to open a new credit cards. This means that if someone tries to apply for a new credit card in your name, you will receive an alert and take action. You can place a fraud alert by calling the three reporting agencies:

• Experian at (888) 397-3742,
• TransUnion at (800) 680-7289, and
• Equifax at (800) 525-6285.

The fraud alert will stay on your file for 90 days, but you can renew it, if you need to. If you are a victim of identity theft, you can ask for an extended fraud alert (which can last for 7 years). You will need to provide a copy of the identity theft report.

Additionally, you can sign up for a third party credit monitoring service. These services are often free, or may even be included as a feature of your bank account or credit card. Please note that free services don't necessarily include comprehensive monitoring and may not provide monitoring of all three credit bureaus. Credit monitoring services notify you of changes made to your credit reports by monthly reports, including email alerts of fraudulent activity to your credit.

The official federal government Identity Theft website walks you through step by step to fix your credit report and accounts. On the site, you:

• Answer questions about what happened to you,
• Enter your name, address, and other requested information,
• Get your Identity Theft Report, and
• Get a recovery plan created just for you.