How to Keep Your Identity Safe

Over time you have likely noticed an increase in news coverage of data breaches. While it may seem far-fetched that you might be affected by one of these data breaches, you may be surprised to learn that one hack in 2018 impacted 143 million Americans. Unfortunately, it seems that not only are these attacks increasing, the data breaches appear to be getting larger as well.

Making sure your private information is kept private is more essential than ever, and having that peace of mind is priceless.

A data breach is defined as “the intentional or unintentional release of secure or private/confidential information to an untrusted environment.” This includes names, Social Security numbers, addresses, birthdays, credit-card numbers and driver’s license numbers. It may be unknown what is going to be done with that important information, but it is not worth waiting to find out.

• Monitor your accounts. Don’t assume potential exposure is limited to one account. Scrutinize all financial accounts for suspicious activity.
• Check your credit reports. Obtain a copy of credit reports from the three major bureaus—Experian, Equifax and TransUnion—to check for any fraudulent activity.
• Change your password. Don’t limit changing passwords to your financial accounts. Switch your email and social-media account passwords often, too.
• Shred documents. This includes preapproved credit-card offers, convenience checks, account statements, and anything that contains personal or financial information.
• Send and receive smartly. Consider using a locked, secure mailbox or post office box for sending and receiving mail.
• Protect your Social Security card. Take it out of your wallet, and give out the number as infrequently as possible. When you receive a request for the number, ask how it will be used.
• Sign up with a credit-monitoring service. It’s the most effective way to monitor and protect your personal information. It can help by alerting you when a loan or bank account is set up under your name, so you can freeze your accounts before things get out of hand.

If you find your personal information or identity has been compromised, take the following steps to minimize potential loss:

• Contact the compromised business. Reach out to the breached company’s fraud department to report the incident.
• Initiate a 90-day fraud alert. Request the alert with your preferred credit bureau to warn lenders of the reported fraud.
• Freeze or lock your credit file. A security freeze prevents lenders from accessing a credit report as a result of a new credit application or other service(s).

As a AAA member, you receive free coverage with credit-monitoring service ProtectMyID Essential. All you have to do is sign up. For increased coverage, sign up for the ProtectMyID Deluxe or Platinum package, which includes features such as:

• Dark Web Surveillance
• Real-Time Identity Alerts
• Social Security Number Monitoring
• Full monitoring of social media accounts
• And more

This article was originally published in our 2018 print edition of LIVE|PLAY|AAA and was last updated in June 2024 for accuracy.