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What is a Recommended Method to Protect You from Identity Theft?

Dena Standley | April 23, 2024

Dena Standley
Legal Expert, Paralegal
Dena Standley, BA

Dena Standley is a seasoned paralegal with more than 20 years of experience in legal research and writing, having received a certification as a Legal Assistant/Paralegal from Southern Technical College.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: Identity theft causes serious financial challenges for the person affected. If not addressed, you may end up paying huge debts you did not accrue. SoloSuit aims to prevent that from happening to you.

Sharing your personal information on social media places you at a significant risk of identity theft. With the quick advancement in technology, fraudsters have developed advanced techniques to gain access to your personal and financial information. Sharing too much information online will assist them in figuring out your sensitive information.

Therefore, you must be vigilant and use recommended protective measures to safeguard your identity. Today, we will discuss things that may lead to identity theft, explain the recommended ways to prevent identity theft, and what to do after realizing your identity has been stolen.

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Actions that increase your risk of identity theft

As you seek to protect yourself from identity theft, you may come across straightforward methods that suggest ways to safeguard your financial and personal information. However, fraudsters try to use clever ways to access your information that you may not be aware of. The following are things you should avoid that may lead to identity theft:

  • Posting excess information about yourself, such as full name, birth date, residence, pet name, phone number, and family members' names. Fraudsters can easily use this information to piece together passwords or other information.
  • Clicking on unsolicited or suspicious links even when they seem to have come from credible sources. These suspicious links may be sent to your email or social media handles as private messages or appear in your posts.
  • Avoid using similar passwords for most of your accounts. For example, having the same PIN from your debit or credit cards or using the same password for your email and other crucial online platforms.
  • Don’t ignore or delay software updates on your phone or online platforms. Hackers may use that opportunity to explore loopholes that outdated software might have. An update in your accounts or devices could mean additional security features have been added.
  • Avoid conducting sensitive transactions using public Wi-Fi. These networks are less secure, and hackers are often on standby waiting for you to make a sensitive transaction like an online banking transfer.

Learn more: 5 Ways Identity Theft Can Happen

Are you receiving multiple calls from a creditor about a debt you do not know about? You need to investigate if it's a case of identity theft. As you take action, send a Debt Validation Letter to stop their calls and acquire more information about the debt and the possible location of the fraudster by the purchases made. Learn how to make a Debt Validation Letter in this video.

How to make a debt validation letter (In 2 steps!)

Recommended methods to safeguard yourself from identity theft

Now that you know the various techniques that can lead to identity theft, it's time to implement as many methods as possible to safeguard your financial and personal information. Here are eight effective methods:

  • Keep your social security number safe and avoid giving it out without asking why they need it and how secure it is with the person requiring it.
  • Freeze your credit with Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. Only unfreeze it when you want to open a new account. These services are offered free of charge by the three bureaus.
  • After choosing a strong password, add a 2-factor authentication step. Complex passwords are harder to crack, and the 2-factor notification will add another layer of protection.
  • Ensure your financial institution has your email or phone number to send messages when an unusual activity occurs in your accounts.
  • Be aware of spoofing and phishing, where fraudsters send emails and make calls that appear to come from legitimate institutions. Instead of responding to suspicious calls or emails, go to the official website for the correct email and phone number.
  • Carefully dispose of sensitive tangible documents like pre-approval offers for a credit card or investment statement. The most effective method is shredding before you throw them out.
  • Use a digital wallet if you're making online payments. These are apps containing secure forms of digital debit and credit cards. The transactions you complete are encrypted and tokenized, making them safer.
  • Regularly check your credit report for unusual activities. The three bureaus give a free credit report yearly, and you can request it via the Annual Credit Report website.

Other ways to protect your identity include monitoring your financial and medical statements for unusual activities and using unique passwords on electronic devices.

How Should You Respond to the Theft of Your Identity?

What to do after your identity has been stolen

Taking action immediately after identity theft will help you prevent further damage to your credit score and financial situation. The following are the steps to take after discovering someone stole your identity:

  1. Find out the source of the identity theft. For example, did you open a suspicious email from your financial institution? Did you lose your credit card? Has the e-commerce store you buy things from been hacked?
  2. Notify the credit card company or specific bank that has been affected. Inform them of the theft and ask them to freeze or close your accounts.
  3. Put a fraud alert on your credit report for 90 days or up to one year. If you need an extended period, you must make a new request.
  4. As you submit the fraud alert, request a copy of your credit report and review it to determine the extent of the identity theft.
  5. Freeze your credit to prevent the credit bureaus from sending your report to creditors. When you freeze your report, the bureaus give you a password to enter when you want to lift the freeze.
  6. Report the identity theft promptly to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by filling out an online form or calling 877-438-4338. This step will help you receive an identity theft report and a recovery plan.
  7. Alert the local police department and take your identity theft report and any other proof that shows you are a victim of identity theft. Ask for a copy of the police report and the number of the investigating officer if you need an update or for future reference.
  8. Remove the fraudulent entries from your credit report using this sample letter from the FTC to explain what happened. You must also attach the documents you acquired from the above steps as proof.

If you are being sued because your identity was stolen, here's what to do.

SoloSuit can assist you in responding to a debt lawsuit that resulted from a stolen identity. Our Debt Answer can help you bring up the identity theft as an affirmative defense in your case, which will likely lead to a dismissed case.

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