Stay Safe Out There... Stay Aware
Identity Theft has become a relatively common occurrence. To help protect yourself, there are a few simple steps that you may take to ensure the security of confidential information:
- Shred documents that contain your account numbers, Social Security numbers or any other confidential information.
- Mail bill payments and any other confidential documents by dropping them into a USPS mailbox. Don't leave these items for your mail carrier to take from your home mailbox. Mailbox theft makes it easy for someone to access your account details without you even knowing that it happened.
- Don't leave passwords, PINs, user names, etc. attached to your computer, smartphone, credit/debit cards for someone else to see and use. Keep this information in a "secret" place that only you may access.
If you do become a victim of Identity Theft, there are a number of free resources available to help you through the process of reporting it, recovering your identity and preventing unauthorized activity:
Federal Trade Commission
Call the Identity Theft Hotline at 877.438.4338 or TTY 866.653.4261.
File a compliant or check out the Identity Theft Assistance resources that are available free of charge.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Call the Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800.908.4490 if someone has used your Social Security number to file a false tax return or to claim unemployment in your name.
Credit Bureaus
Contact all three credit bureaus to place a "fraud alert" on your account.