With all the identity theft that has been happening, we wanted to give you some recommended steps to protect yourself:
· Monitor your financial accounts: Closely review your bank statements and credit card transactions for any unauthorized activity. Report any suspicious transactions immediately to your financial institution.
· Consider a credit freeze: Placing a freeze on your credit report with all three major bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) can prevent unauthorized access to credit lines in your name. This takes about 20-30 minutes to do.
· Review your credit reports: Request a free copy of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com and check for any unfamiliar activity. You can obtain a report from each bureau annually.
· Social Security Administration resources: For additional information on protecting your Social Security number, please visit the Social Security Administration website at SSA.Gov/Fraud.