In a lot of cases, people don’t think about identity theft until it happens to them. Here are some signs that you may have been the victim of identity theft:
- Finding mysterious withdrawals from your bank account or suspicious charges on your credit card statement.
- When you stop receiving regular invoices and correspondence.
- When merchants decline your checks.
- When collectors call to claim debts that are not yours.
- Finding strange charges or accounts in your credit report.
- Receiving health providers invoices for services you never received.
- When your health plan denies legitimate medical claims because their records show you already used those benefits to their limit.
- When you are rejected by a health plan provider because their records show you have an illness you do not have.
- When the IRS tells you they have more than one tax return under your name, or that they received an income report from an unknown employer.
- When you receive an alert about an internet security breach from a company that holds your personal data in their servers, which places your data at risk of exposure or theft.
Watching out for Cyber Fraud
Now that you know the symptoms of identity theft, learn to monitor your accounts more closely. Some unfortunate victims can go months, possibly years, without realizing they’ve been robbed.
Not all cyber thieves will act in the same way. A $10,000 charge can be quite obvious, but sometimes hackers will siphon off small amounts at a time to remain unnoticed and steal from you for a longer period of time. If you discover the fraud a year down the road, it could be more difficult for you to recover that money.
Luckily, most banks are aware of the dangers of these online crimes, and there are specialists dedicated to helping you fight potential claims. Don’t recognize a $10 charge? It’s best not to shake it off - call your bank just in case.