What Can I Do?

While there is no guarantee against becoming a victim of identity theft, there are ways to minimize the risk. By following the 3 D’s of identity theft, it will be harder for thieves to gain access to information.

Deter identity thieves by protecting information.

• Shred financial information before discarding it.
• Do not use obvious passwords for online bank and credit card log-in.
• Keep any virus protection software current.

Detect suspicious activity.

• Routinely monitor financial accounts and billing statements for inconsistent information. Request a free annual credit report from the Annual Credit Report Request Service, for more information click here.
• Investigate any requests for account information such as a password or personal identify number (PIN) from banks or credit card companies, a legitimate request from a bank or credit card company will not ask for this information.

Defend against identity theft as soon as a problem is suspected.

• Close fraudulent accounts.
• Request credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on the account.
• File a report with the local authorities.