Protecting You and Your Family from Identity Theft

If you or a loved one has been targeted by a scam or fraud, you are not alone. Call the AARP Fraud Helpline at 877-908-3360, where AARP’s fraud specialists provide free support and guidance on what to do next. Our toll-free service is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. 

Identity theft is a serious concern for all Americans, which costs Americans billions of dollars every year.

You may have heard about the most recent NPD data breach that exposed nearly three billion personal information records to identity thieves on the dark web. What is perhaps most alarming is that the breach occurred several months before coming to light.

This recent news coupled with the fact that there’s a new case of identity theft every 22 seconds makes the case for why every Floridian should proactively take steps to safeguard their identity.

While corporate data breaches may be outside of our control, there are steps we can take to reduce both the likelihood and potential harm of identity theft (if our information is compromised).

1.     Limit who receives your personal information and how.

Your bank or a new employer might have a valid reason to request a copy of your Florida Driver’s License or for your Social Security Number, but you should avoid sharing this information when possible.

“Some businesses continue to use Social Security numbers as a means of authenticating customers or simply as a practice they just never let go of,” says Kathy Stokes, AARP’s director of fraud prevention programs and also head of the AARP Fraud Watch Network. “Consider pushing back and asking if there’s an alternative.”

If you really need to provide your personal identification information, it should only be to a person or business you know and trust. Never provide your personal identification information to someone over the phone if you did not initiate the call or if you’re unable to verify the identity of the person requesting this information.

Avoid sharing your sensitive information via regular email or fax. If you must provide the information virtually it should be through a secure portal or via encrypted messaging.

2.     Monitor and freeze your credit.

Most of us aren’t in the habit of checking our credit every month, so it can be easy for identity theft to go undetected for some time. Checking your credit is easy and free, so why not make this a regular habit (like renewing your car registration or scheduling an annual physical)?

All three credit reporting companies (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) offer online tools for you to monitor and manage your credit. If you see your credit score drop suddenly or you find suspected fraud on your credit report, you should report it right away to the credit reporting company. (The CFPB offers a step-by-step guide on how to dispute an error on your credit report.)

Placing a security freeze on your credit is a proactive step you can take at any point to help protect your credit from identity theft. All three credit reporting companies offer easy and free options for freezing your credit and you have to request the credit freeze individually from each (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax). Locking your credit is another option to restrict access to your credit reports, but this usually involves a paid subscription and each credit bureau provides different features for a fee.

3.     Practice good cyberhygiene.

Cyber hygiene means regularly maintaining your digital devices and online accounts to protect yourself from cyber fraud. Here are some key tips for virtually protecting your data:

• Keep your browser and all software up to date. Turn on automatic updates to keep your software secure.
• Use a password manager so each device and account has its own strong and unique password. Passwords should have at least 12 characters and contain no names or words.
• Know how to lock virtual documents and files. This is key if you keep your passwords in a virtual document or spreadsheet.
• Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for virtual account logins. Increase the layers and level of difficulty for hackers to obtain access.
• Update privacy settings on all online accounts. Never rely on default settings.
• Don’t click on links or attachments from an unknown source. Hover your cursor over a link to verify the web address.
• Ensure websites have a secure connection. Look for https at beginning of the URL and a padlock in your browser.

Navigating the aftermath of identity theft can be overwhelming for anyone, but fortunately there are many free resources available that can help. We’ve listed several of our favorite resources below.

• The Florida Attorney General’s Office offers Floridians a free Identity Theft Victim Kit, which provides a step-by-step guide on what do and who to contact for victims of identity theft.
• At IdentityTheft.gov, the Federal Trade Commission offers free resources to help with both reporting identity theft and putting together a personalized identity theft recovery plan.
• The Office for Victims of Crime provides a comprehensive Steps for Victims of Identity Theft or Fraud, complete with template letters, forms, and what to do if law enforcement won’t take a report.
• The Identity Theft Resource Center is another free resource that can help you respond to and mitigate the risk of identity theft.

We’ve also assembled some key steps you can take right away if you suspect are the victim of identity theft or any other form of fraud.

1. Notify your bank and credit card company. According to Amy Nofziger, director of victim support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network, these should be your first two phone calls when you uncover fraud.

2. Change your passwords. Darius Kingsley, head of consumer practices at JPMorgan Chase & Co., suggests changing the passwords on everything from financial accounts to personal email accounts quickly to avoid additional fraud.

3. Document the scam. Compile all evidence of the fraud in one place. According to Zulfikar Ramzan, chief scientist and executive vice president of product development at Aura, this step will be important for any investigations into fraudulent activity in your name. Keep a log of all conversations with authorities and financial institutions, including the dates, names, and phone numbers of those with whom you speak.

4. Report the scam. File a police report with your local law enforcement agency and with the Federal Trade Commission. Florida’s Office of the Attorney General emphasizes the importance of filing a report with local law enforcement because a copy of this report will likely be required by your bank, credit card company, and others.

5.  Close fraudulently opened cards and accounts. Speak with the Fraud Department at every company where you’ve identified a fraudulent account in your name. Ask the company whether they accept a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report or to provide you with their fraud dispute form. Follow up with these companies in writing and provide copies of supporting documents. Ask the company for a letter discharging you of any fraudulent debts once the identity dispute is resolved.

6. Protect your credit. Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax all offer free methods to place either a freeze or fraud alert on your credit (you’ll have to file with each bureau). Locking your credit is another option to restrict access to your credit reports, but this usually involves a paid subscription.

7. Remain alert. Watch out for signs that your accounts have been accessed or that your log-on and contact information have been changed, as these could be signs of an account takeover. And keep an eye out for strange statements and bills showing up in you mailbox or email.

8. Avoid the blame game. Identity theft can happen to anyone, regardless of age, race, gender, or background. It is the criminal’s fault that this happened, not the victim’s.

9. Spread the word. “Teaching others can not only help you rebuild confidence and trust, but also helps others avoid scams,” according to Lisa Schifferle, a senior policy analyst with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Experiencing identity theft can be devastating for victims – financially and emotionally. This is especially true for victims who are also older adults. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (IDRC), last year 16 percent of identity fraud victims who contacted the program said they’d contemplated suicide because of their victimization.

“We need to fundamentally change the way we support identity crime victims to ensure no one feels ignored or dismissed…” says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the IDRC.

Did you know that supporting a loved one after a scam can prevent them from experiencing fraud again in the future? Here are some key things to keep in mind when speaking with a loved one about fraud.

1. Listen with compassion and empathy. Shame, embarrassment, and fear are all words victims have used to describe how they felt in the wake of experiencing fraud. Establish trust with a loved one who tells you they’ve experienced identity theft by offering support, not criticism or lectures.

2. Remember the words we use to discuss fraud matters. Remind your loved one that this is not their fault, and that identity theft can happen to anyone.

3. Encourage your loved one to report. Identity theft can leave us feeling defeated and depressed, which is why it’s important to empower a loved one who has experienced a fraud by encouraging reporting. Many victims say that they felt better after reporting the fraud, even if they were reluctant to do so initially.

4. Offer to help with reporting, but don’t just take over. The average consumer can spend upwards of 10 hours resolving identity fraud, which is often an extremely frustrating process. Offering to help a loved one lets them know you’re there to save them time and stress, but taking over without their permission may be perceived as paternalistic or infantilizing.

5. Find additional support. The AARP Fraud Watch Network has a toll-free helpline (877-908-3360), where trained volunteers provide victims of fraud and their family members with support and guidance. These volunteers can also help connect your loved one with our fraud counseling program.

We’re listing several of top resources for navigating identity theft below.

• The Florida Attorney General’s Office offers Floridians a free Identity Theft Victim Kit, which provides a step-by-step guide on what do and who to contact for victims of identity theft.
• At IdentityTheft.gov, the Federal Trade Commission offers free resources to help with both reporting identity theft and putting together a personalized identity theft recovery plan.
• The Office for Victims of Crime provides a comprehensive Steps for Victims of Identity Theft or Fraud, complete with template letters, forms, and what to do if law enforcement won’t take a report.
• The Identity Theft Resource Center is another free resource that can help you respond to and mitigate the risk of identity theft.

According to the FTC, the most common form of identity theft is the credit card fraud, which refers to the theft of your credit card information or the unauthorized use of your personal data to open a credit card account.

You can learn more about the specific trends in identity theft and other forms of fraud using the FTC’s interactive maps.