If you believe you’ve been scammed or someone has stolen your personal information, acting quickly can help limit the financial impact. Here are the steps you should take:
- Recognize the warning signs. If you see a charge on a statement that you don’t recognize, a drop in your credit score, or if debt collectors contact you about a debt that isn’t yours.
- Contact your financial institution immediately to report fraudulent transactions and put a freeze on your account or close it altogether.
- Update your passwords for your e-mail, banking and shopping accounts to secure them. Be sure to use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication where available.
- Monitor your credit report and file any kind of fraud alert if there are any changes. It’s also best to freeze your credit so no one can take a loan or account out in your name without your authorization.
- Continue to monitor your identity and keep watching your accounts and reports, being extra careful moving forward.
There are plenty of free and trusted resources available to you for help that your financial institution can provide you and help give you peace of mind in this overwhelming time.