ID theft is very frustrating. There’s no guaranteed method to block identity theft completely. But these seven measures will help reduce your risk of having your identity stolen.
In April 2024, an enormous amount of stolen data—including possibly 272 million U.S. citizen’s Social Security numbers—went up for sale on the dark web.
You can check whether your Social Security number or those of loved ones is compromised by visiting sites such as https://www.npdbreach.com/ or https://npd.pentester.com/.
We have determined that the breach shows it’s not enough to freeze your credit at the three major credit agencies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. There are more places you should consider freezing your credit info, plus steps you can take to reduce—but not eliminate—problems tied to your Social Security number.
If you have children, you should also freeze their credit at these sites, whether their information is stolen or not. Identity theft protection is important no matter your age. You should see links to information on how to freeze a child’s credit, as well as info for assisting adults who cannot do this for themselves.
What Is Identity Theft?
Before we get into the steps you should take to improve your identity theft protection, let’s answer the question, “What is identity theft?” This term refers to a crime where someone steals your personal information and uses it to gain financial benefit. Some examples of identity theft include:
- Opening new bank accounts in your name
- Using your existing account numbers to obtain services
- Obtaining medical service
- Filing an insurance claim
If your identity is stolen, you could have outstanding debts that you know nothing about or even have your Social Security benefits stolen from you. That’s why it’s so vital that you learn how to protect yourself from identity theft.
Get ready for these seven identity theft protection steps—it’s not going to be fun.
#1 – How to Check for Identity Theft: View Your Credit Reports
Visit https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action to view your information held by the three major credit reporting bureaus. You’ll want to look for suspicious activity, such as new credit cards you didn’t open. Ensure that it is accurate and that no new credit accounts exist that you did not create. You can also view your credit scores on this site, though you may have to pay an additional fee.
On these reports, you will see what’s called “soft” credit checks from organizations looking to sell you financial products or loans or an organization doing a background check on you. A soft credit check can be done without your knowledge, but doesn’t affect your credit rating.
#2 – How to Help Prevent Identity Theft: Freeze Your Credit
We’ve determined there are two more organizations where you must freeze your credit. They are ChexSystems and Clarity Services Inc., an organization owned by Experian. ChexSystems and Clarity Services also provide soft credit checks.
#3 – Lock Down Your Identity
Another site where you can lock down your identity is NCTUE—the National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange. NCTUE is a data exchange that compiles telecommunications and utility payment data on millions of consumers. It’s the central place where telco, pay TV, security, internet, and utility companies exchange their customer account data for broader, deeper access to consumer payment history.
Following instructions on their link leads to you receiving a PDF letter with the pin required to unfreeze your account. Store it safely and securely so you can make new utility arrangements—including buying a new cell phone—in the future.
#4 – Report a Stolen Social Security Number
Next, if you discover your SSN has been stolen, visit https://www.identitytheft.gov/, a site of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. When you click on a few relevant options, the site will provide you with steps it calls a Recovery Plan for your Social Security identity theft. The plan includes the advice above, plus a tip to file your taxes early.
#5 – Inform the IRS
Next, visit the Internal Revenue Service’s https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central.The IRS uses Form 14039 Identity Theft Affidavit but accepts this form from taxpayers only if the IRS has informed them of potential tax-related identity theft or their tax return was rejected as a duplicate.
The IRS recommends other taxpayers with compromised SSNs get an Identity Protection PIN. The IP PIN is used only on Forms 1040, 1040-NR, 1040-PR, 1040-SR, and 1040-SS and can be used on electronic or paper filings. The IRS says the IP PIN means your tax return is unique and valid to you.
#6 – Review Your Social Security Earnings
The Social Security Administration will not issue you a new number if you cannot prove someone else is using your number. You should review your Social Security earnings records, which you can do online at https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/ or a local Social Security office. However, unless you can prove someone else is benefiting through your SSN, there is no other remedy available from the Social Security Administration.
#7 – File a Complaint with the FBI
File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (also known as IC3.) The IC3 website urges visitors to file a Social Security identity theft complaint even if they’re unsure whether their situation qualifies as a cybercrime.
Don’t Make a Cybercriminals Job Easy: Enhance Your Identity Theft Protection
While today we understand the need to protect our personally identifying information, that need wasn’t considered years ago when Social Security numbers were printed on public records along with names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. The latest data breach appears to involve a company that gathered data from criminal and other public records years ago; the company and its subsidiaries may be defunct, but the records are still available online.
Identity theft can take months to resolve. You must commit to watching your accounts. So, what else can you do to enhance your identity theft monitoring practices? Here are some simple suggestions:
- Review your credit card and bank statements regularly to check for unusual transactions
- Create a family plan for monitoring and freezing credit
- Consider investing in identity theft protection services or insurance
- Avoid using public wi-fi, where cybercriminals can easily hack your devices
- Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication to protect all of your accounts
You know why it’s important to have identity theft protection, but unfortunately, it’s not enough to take these steps. No one has a method to stop identity theft because of past practices completely. But taking these measures makes your information harder to steal—and causes thieves to move on to someone with fewer protections.
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