Do you feel like you hear about another hack, data breach, or leak every time you turn on the news? In today’s digital world, it is crucial to take steps to protect sensitive information that a bad actor could use to steal your identity.

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information—like your Social Security number, bank account details, or credit card information—and uses it to commit fraud by pretending to be you.

For example, a bad actor pretending to be you might take out a mortgage in your name, or open a new credit card account.

Bad actors can gain access to your sensitive information in several ways. Sometimes, hackers create giant data breaches and sell the information to other bad actors. But bad actors also use phishing messages, fraudulent phone calls, or even digging through your trash to find unprotected information. They can also get your info through unsecured websites or by hacking into your accounts.

How Can You Protect Yourself From Identity Theft?

You can take several simple steps to keep your personal information safe online. You should also consider taking steps to protect your credit and finances.

Online Safety Tips

One of the best preventative measures you can take to protect your identity is to use safe habits online.

• Use a strong, unique password for each key account. While it may seem annoying to have separate passwords for each important account such as your banking, medical portals, or shopping apps, using unique passwords is one of the best ways to keep your accounts secure. That way, if something goes wrong with one app or website, you will not have compromised every other online account you have set up. It is also important to use a lengthy password that includes numbers and special characters. You should never use personal information like names or dates in your passwords.
• Enable 2FA when possible. Two-factor authentication is like a second key to the lock on your account. The first key is your password, but the secondary authentication method might be a fingerprint or a code texted to your phone. This makes it much more difficult for a bad actor to access your account because they would need both your password and the secondary authentication method. Most apps and websites that deal with sensitive information will require 2FA and provide it for free.
• Limit the information you share with apps and websites. Every time you create an account on a website or set up a new app on your phone, you fill in lots of information. It is a good habit to only fill in the required fields, usually notated with a red asterisk. Leave the other fields blank.
• Set all social media accounts to private. This limits who can see the photos and personal information that you share. But you should still limit how much information you share on social media. Keep in mind that anything you post could be shared by a friend and eventually seen by a bad actor.
• Avoid opening apps or accounts containing sensitive information while on public wifi. Wait till you are at home or use a VPN if you want to do any online banking or shopping.

Financial Safety Tips

Besides practicing safe habits online, you should also consider protecting your financial information in several key ways to avoid identity theft.

• Consider freezing your credit. Freezing your credit prevents anyone from opening a new line of credit in your name. Check out this article to learn how to freeze your credit.
• Monitor your statements. Online banking and credit card apps make it really easy to track your finances. Keep an eye on your statements regularly and immediately report any fraudulent charges.
• Check your credit report annually. This will let you know if anyone has tried to open lines of credit in your name.
• Set alerts on key apps or accounts. Many apps and online accounts have a free feature that will send a text or a notification to your phone if any odd transactions occur.
• Shred sensitive documents. Never place documents containing sensitive information like your social security number in the garbage. Instead, use a personal shredder or check community calendars for free shredding events.

Avoiding Scams

Educating yourself on how to avoid scams is another key way to protect yourself from identity theft. Scammers try to trick you into divulging personal information that they can later use to pretend to be you and enact identity theft.

• Beware of phishing scams. A phishing scam is a message sent by a bad actor pretending to be a trusted agency or organization, like your bank or your doctor’s office. The message may even have logos from that organization and look very authentic. However, it will ask you to click a link or download an attachment which will then collect personal information from you. Do not respond to these messages, click links, or download attachments. Instead, reach out directly to the agency using the phone number you have on file. This way, you can double-check if your account is ok or your information is safe.
• Watch out for tech support scams. This is a popular type of phishing scam where a bad actor sends you messages claiming that there is something wrong with your phone, tablet, or computer. Delete these messages and do not click on any links or download any attachments.
• Be skeptical of unsolicited calls or messages. Don’t give out personal information over the phone or in email unless you initiated the contact.
• If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t open emails with subject lines like “You are Walmart’s 1000th customer, click here to win $1,000,000!”

Conclusion

Taking a few extra precautions can give you peace of mind about your online presence. If you have questions about protecting your online identity or would like to check if a message you received might be a scam, feel free to reach out to the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Randolph County Center at 336-318-6002.