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Top Strategies to Guard Against Identity Theft page 4
Protect Yourself from Identity Theft GUARD YOUR IDENTITY
Identity theft cost Americans $23 billion in 2023, up 13% from 2022, and the scams are becoming increasingly difficult to unravel. On average, consumers spent 10 hours resolving issues caused by identity fraud in 2023, up from six hours in 2022, according to the 2024 Identity Fraud Study. Identity theft can happen to anyone. Criminals may contact consumers by phone, email, or text, claiming to represent a government agency, utility company, or bank while demanding sensitive information. Others mine consumer datasets or steal sensitive documents from people’s mail or trash. How can you avoid becoming a victim? To protect your documents, get a lockable mailbox, and shred sensitive records before discarding them. Switch to paperless billing whenever possible, and keep your Social Security card securely stored at home.
To protect your digital records, set up strong passwords for computers, phones, and tablets, and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible. Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks for online shopping or banking, as many are poorly secured. Regularly review bank and credit card statements for unauthorized withdrawals or purchases. Sign up for fraud alerts on your credit cards so your provider can verify any suspicious charges, such as large purchases made far from home. Review your credit reports at least annually through AnnualCreditReport.com, and consider signing up for a free service like Credit Karma for alerts to suspicious activity. You can also place a fraud alert on your credit reports to require lenders or creditors to verify your identity before issuing new loans or credit cards. If your information is compromised in a data breach, freezing your credit reports will prevent anyone from opening accounts in your name.
Email phishing scams remain common. Avoid clicking on links in emails from unfamiliar senders. If you receive a notice of a data breach from a company you have dealt with, investigate which accounts were affected, update your passwords, and enable two-factor authentication where available. Unfortunately, criminals even target the deceased. Avoid including birth dates or maiden names in death notices or funeral programs, and monitor your loved ones’ accounts for suspicious activity.
If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, help is available at IdentityTheft.gov .
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