| Each year, millions of consumers discover a disturbing truth — their personal information has been stolen. Frankly, it’s likely that all our data are out there, whether we know it or not. But all is not lost. |
| How It Works• In data breaches, criminals hack into the systems of banks, retailers and other companies and steal sensitive consumer data.•Phone calls, text messages, emails and social media are the playground of criminals seeking to get us to return a call or click a link and share sensitive data.•Mail — whether incoming, outgoing or the mail we toss out — is a gold mine for identity thieves. Mailboxes, recycling bins, garbage cans and dumpsters are fertile ground for picking up sensitive personal information that thieves can use themselves or sell to the highest bidder. What You Should Know• Criminals use stolen identities to open new accounts in the victims’ names, or they combine real data with fake data to create new personas and open accounts in that manner.•If they have just the right information, criminals can use your personal information to take over your existing accounts, whether or not they are financial in nature.•Stolen identities are also used to get medical treatment, file for government benefits, and file tax returns. What You Should Do• Create unique and strong passwords or passphrases for each online account. Otherwise, one password breach could equate to criminal access to all accounts. Consider investing in a password manager, such as Dashlane, Bitwarden and 1Password.•Set up online access to your financial accounts. This way you can monitor transactions and quickly recognize fraudulent activity, rather than waiting for a monthly or quarterly statement.•Set up “two-factor authentication” on every online account that offers it. This requires you to enter a passcode that you will receive by phone, text or email (or through an authenticator app) to verify it’s you.•Request your free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) at annualcreditreport.com to check for suspicious activity. Since the start of the pandemic, these agencies have offered free weekly online reports; as of this writing, the offer remains in place.•Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit. This requires creditors to verify you are the one adding new or altering existing accounts. Make sure you have the most up-to-date security and antivirus software installed on your devices.•If you find you are a victim of identity fraud, visit identitytheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan. For additional support, contact the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 1-877-908-3360. |