AARP SCAM ALERT – ID Theft: What to do next

We take a lot of precautions to protect our personal information, but we’re not the only people responsible for our data. So many different entities have our personal information it’s hard to keep track of. Our banks, health providers, email TV and Internet provider, retailers and more all have our data and many of them have been hacked. The reality is that most Americans have already had their identity compromised. So what can we do to protect ourselves after the fact?

Here are three steps to protecting yourself after your personal information has been stolen.

1) Sign up for credit monitoring that will alert you if someone tried to open an account in your name.
2) Place a free security freeze on your credit to help stop identity thieves from opening new accounts in your name.
3) Establish online access to all of your bank accounts, credit cards and retirement accounts and check them frequently.

Be a fraud fighter!  If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork  or call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 1-877-908-3360 to report a scam or get help if you’ve fallen victim.