Identity theft and how to respond

Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information, such as your Social Security number, account numbers, or passwords, to open accounts, make purchases, file tax returns, or get medical care in your name. Warning signs include charges you do not recognize, bills or collection calls for accounts you never opened, being unexpectedly denied credit, or a notice from the IRS about a tax return you did not file. Children's identities can be stolen too, and the theft may go unnoticed for years. To protect yourself, guard your Social Security number, shred documents with personal details, use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, review account statements, and check your credit reports; you can also place a free credit freeze with each of the three major credit bureaus, which makes it much harder for someone to open new credit accounts in your name. If it happens, act quickly: contact the affected companies, freeze your credit, and use the Federal Trade Commission's IdentityTheft.gov to report it and get a recovery plan.

This explanation is AI-generated and can occasionally be wrong. 🚩 Report