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Don’t let identity theft catch you off guard

Learn more about identity theft, and the steps you can take to help better protect your personal and financial information.

Identity theft checklist

Here are some steps you can take if you believe you’ve been a victim of identity theft. It all starts with taking action.

How identity theft happens

Identity theft protection begins by knowing how it can happen. There are any number of reasons thieves would want your personal information from opening new accounts and credit lines they can use, to creating full new identities or gaining access to medical care or passports. The damage of identity theft can affect your credit, access to medical coverage or even access to housing.

Whether it’s rummaging through your trash for financial or medical statements, email phishing, or hacking into public Wi Fi networks, identity thieves are motivated to gain access to your personal information.

Identity thieves have gotten more sophisticated in their methods, and they can access your personal information in countless ways. Some include:

  • Stealing wallets or purses in order to get personal identification cards, credit and bank cards;
  • Digging through mail and trash in search of bank and credit card statements, preapproved credit card offers, tax information and other documents that may contain personal details or account information;
  • Filling out change-of-address forms to forward mail, which generally contains personal and financial information;
  • Buying personal information from a third party source, such as a company employee who has access to applications for credit;
  • Obtaining personnel records from your place of employment;
  • “Skimming” information from an ATM or card reader — this is done through an electronic device, which is attached to the reader, that can steal the information stored on a credit or debit card’s magnetic strip;
  • Swiping personal information that has been shared on unsecured websites or public Wi-Fi;
  • Stealing electronic records and information through a data breach;
  • “Phishing” for electronic information with phony emails, text messages and websites that are solely designed to steal sensitive information;
  • Posing as a home buyer during open houses in order to gain access to sensitive information casually stored in unlocked drawers.

 

What Are Phishing and Smishing?

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Once an identity thief has enough information about you, they may be able to get medical care and procedures in your name, or try to use your health insurance benefits. If they don’t pay, you’ll get the bill and be on the hook for the costs, and the debt. The fallout from medical ID theft can show up on your credit reports and damage your credit scores.


Medical ID theft can also create duplicate medical records in your name that can be difficult to distinguish from your legitimate records. Worse, during an emergency, this false information could prevent you from receiving the treatment you need, or cause your doctor to prescribe the wrong treatment.

What is Medical Identity Theft?

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In addition to the recommendations included here, you can get greater peace of mind by signing up for identity theft protection products. Choose from our 3-bureau credit monitoring1 and identity theft protection plans.

Identity Theft: What it is, What to Do

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How to protect against identity theft

Identity thieves are motivated to gain access to your personal information. You need to be motivated to protect it.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), protecting your personal information can help reduce your risk of identity theft. Here are some suggestions for learning more about identity theft and what to do about it:

Some signs of identity theft include receiving unfamiliar bills or changes on your credit card and bank statement for items or services you didn't buy. Other signs include calls from debt collectors about accounts you didn’t open, unexplained withdrawals from your bank account, notifications that more than one tax return was filed in your name, or a credit or loan application unexpectedly denied.

When reviewing your credit report, ask yourself the following questions to determine if you could be a victim of identity theft:

  • Are there unfamiliar credit accounts listed on your credit report?
  • Do you have an unfamiliar account that has late payments or is in collections?
  • Are there inquiries listed on your credit report from companies you don’t recognize?

You can create a myEquifax account to get free Equifax credit reports each year. You can also enroll in Equifax Core Credit™ for a free monthly Equifax credit report and a free monthly VantageScore credit score, based on Equifax data.
You are also entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus by visiting annualcreditreport.com.

In addition to the recommendations included here, you can get greater peace of mind by signing up for identity theft protection products. Choose from our 3-bureau credit monitoring1 and identity theft protection plans.

Test your knowledge

Is that true? See if you know the difference between fact and fiction about identity theft.
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Identity theft and fraud is daunting and there is a great deal of misinformation and confusion that surrounds it.

Now take the next step towards helping to better protect your identity and monitor your credit.

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Help spot changes and uncover potential threats to your credit and identity

Get 3-bureau credit file monitoring and receive alerts if your personal information is found on the dark web with Equifax ID Patrol™.

  1. Credit monitoring from Experian and TransUnion will take several days to begin.