Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

Identity theft is the fastest growing fraud scheme in the United States, and it has devastating consequences if you fall victim. Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information, such as your social security number, credit card number or other sensitive information and uses it to commit fraud or other crimes under your name.

How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft:

Be Careful About Emails and Attachments

Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from suspicious emails that claim to be by any company connected to a data breach.

Use Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication adds a second level of authentication to an account log in. When you enter only your username and one password, that's considered a single-factor authentication. Two-factor requires you to have two out of three types of credentials before being able to access an account.

Check Your Credit Card Accounts Often

Reviewing your recent account activity is fundamental to credit card safety—and it’s easy. You can check your accounts online or by phone. If your credit card issuer offers email or text alerts about unusual activity, sign up to receive them.

Monitor Credit Reports

Check your credit report for any accounts that fraudsters may have opened in your name. Credit reports are available for free from each of the three national credit reporting agencies at from AnnualCreditReport.com.

Order Specialty Free Reports Outside of the Big Three Credit Agencies

Specialty reporting companies may disclose information that can help prevent fraudulent accounts and other identity theft crimes. LexisNexis Full File Disclosure is one of the more comprehensive databases out there, containing all the information LexisNexis gathers to create its various reports about you. And, like credit reports, you can order one free copy per year. For a complete list, please visit the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau.

Sign up for LifeLock Identity Protection

LifeLock uses innovative monitoring technology and alert tools to help proactively safeguard your personal information. You can secure a discounted rate exclusively as a member of CommunityAmerica.

What Information Was Lost Or Exposed?

Depending on what information was lost, there are specific steps you can take to help protect yourself from identity theft.

Social Security Number

• Consider placing a credit freeze. A credit freeze blocks access to your credit report, making it harder for someone to open new credit accounts in your name without your consent. You can place a credit freeze with each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. If you place a freeze, be ready to take a few extra steps the next time you apply for a new credit card, loan or any service that requires a credit check.
• If you decide not to place a credit freeze, consider placing a fraud alert. A fraud alert asks creditors to verify your identity before processing credit applications. This can be helpful if you're planning to apply for a loan or open new credit cards soon. You can add a fraud alert for free on Equifax, Experian or TransUnion and they will notify each other of the fraud alert. However, if you remove the fraud alert you will need to contact each one individually.
• Try to file your taxes early - before a fraudster can. Tax identity theft happens when someone uses your Social Security number to get a tax refund or a job. Respond right away to letters from the IRS. Don’t believe anyone who calls and says you’ll be arrested unless you pay for taxes or debt — even if they have part or all your Social Security number, or they say they’re from the IRS.
  
  

Online Login or Password

• Log in to that account and change your password. If possible, also change your username. 
• If you can’t log in, contact the company. Ask them how you can recover or shut down the account. 
• If you use the same password anywhere else, change that, too. 
• If the password or login is for a financial site or a merchant that stores your credit number, check your account for any charges that you don’t recognize. Be diligent about checking. Timing is important since some transactions cannot be disputed if too much time has passed.
  
  

Debit or Credit Card Number

• Contact your financial institution or credit card company to cancel your card and request a new one.
• Review your transactions regularly. Make sure no one misused your card.
• If you find fraudulent charges or withdrawals, call the fraud department and dispute them. If you have automatic payments set up, update them with your new card number.
  
  

Bank Account Information

• Review your transactions regularly to make sure no one misused your account.
• If you find fraudulent charges or withdrawals, call the fraud department and dispute them. Again, timing is important so dispute the claims as soon as you notice them.
• If you have automatic payments set up, update them with your new bank account information.
  
  

What To Do When You Lose Your Driver’s License?

Your license contains a photo of you, as well as your name, address, birth date and other personal details. Fraudsters could use this to steal your identity. Criminal identity theft occurs when someone has a brush with the law—anything from a traffic violation to a felony—and claims to be you. They eventually move on, leaving you with an unpaid parking ticket, bail or bond, or a court date that you know nothing about. Another scenario could involve combining your insurance card with your driver’s license information. A criminal can seek medical care in your name.

If you believe that you have lost your driver’s license, there are some important steps that you must take immediately.

• Contact the police. Call the police’s non-emergency line and file a report. The existence of a police report will also help you contest any fraud committed in your name. Even if you don’t think your license was stolen, it’s still a good idea to make a police report. Make sure they notate your license number in their report. You can use that later to change your license number. This will help prevent identity theft if your license is found.
• Place a freeze on your credit reports. The information contained on your license could be used by a fraudster to create a financial account in your name. Seeking a freeze will prevent this from happening and could protect you from some of the worst consequences of identity theft.
• Notify your state DMV. To prevent thieves from using your license as their own, your state may flag the number so police know that it has been stolen. This will alert law enforcement to be extra careful in identifying a person they may have pulled over.
• Monitor credit reports. Check your credit report for any accounts that fraudsters may have opened in your name.
• Prevent potential check fraud. You also don’t want to have your license number automatically printed at the top of your checks because if they were to end up in the wrong hands, it could result in years of check fraud problems. Check fraud is a felony and could lead to a warrant being issued if you are not careful.
  
  • Like Credit Reporting Agencies, Check Verification Companies keep track of what checks have been written and attributed to your driver’s license. Get free reports from ChexSystems, Certegy and TeleCheck.

Identity theft is happening more than ever. Follow the above steps to keep your identity as safe as possible. Educate yourself and contact CommunityAmerica if you suspect fraud.