Chapter 1. How will I know if my identity is compromised?

The first step in recognizing if your identity has been compromised is to pay close attention to your bills and financial account statements. Watch for purchases you did not make, withdrawals you did not initiate, a change of your address that did not happen, missing bills in the mail, or medical charges you did not incur. Any change outside your normal financial cycle should alert you to investigate immediately. 

 

How to

You definitely need to be alarmed if:

    • You get denied credit for no apparent reason of your making
    • You are contacted by debt/credit collectors or stores requesting payments for purchases you did not make.

Along with understanding how identity theft happens, you also need to be familiar of where your financial information is being stored. All financial transactions you create get reported and recorded at the Credit Reporting Agencies. The three major credit reporting agencies are Equifax Links to an external site., Experian Links to an external site., and Transunion Links to an external site.. These agencies not only keep records of your credit history, issue your credit report, and grade you on your financial behavior using FICO Score, but also provide assistance for fraud victims. 

 

Agency_equifax.png     Agency_experian.png      Agency_transunion.png

 

Practice

Now that you know how to recognize if your identity was compromised. Think about paying it forward and discuss identity theft with a friend or family members.

 

Congratulations! You can move on to Chapter 2. How can I protect my identity from theft?

To review the full module on Identity Theft, click here.