• You see withdrawals from your bank account that you can’t explain.
• You don’t get your bills or other mail.
• Merchants refuse your checks.
• Debt collectors call you about debts that aren’t yours.
• You find unfamiliar accounts or charges on your credit report.
• Medical providers bill you for services you didn’t use.
• Your health plan rejects your legitimate medical claim because the records show you’ve reached your benefits limit.
• A health plan won’t cover you because your medical records show a condition you don’t have.
• The IRS notifies you that more than one tax return was filed in your name, or that you have income from an employer you don’t work for.
• You get notice that your information was compromised by a data breach at a company where you do business or have an account.

Most people who experience identity theft must take several steps to recover. IdentityTheft.gov is the federal government’s one-stop resource to help you report and recover from identity theft.

Taking these steps will help you limit the damage.

If you see one of these warning signs of identity theft, act quickly:

• Call the companies where you know fraud occurred.
• Place a fraud alert on your credit reports and get copies of your report. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have toll-free numbers for placing an initial 90 day fraud alert; a call to one company is all that is needed:
  TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
  Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
  Experian: 1-888-397-3742
• Report identity theft to the FTC.
  Online: IdentityTheft.gov
  By phone: 1-877-438-4338 or TTY, 1-866-653-4261
  By mail:
  Identity Theft Clearinghouse,
  Federal Trade Commission,
  Washington, DC 20580
• File a report with your local police department.

Then, take a deep breath and begin to repair the damage. Depending on your situation, your next step might be closing accounts opened in your name, or reporting fraudulent charges. IdentityTheft.gov can help — no matter what your specific identity theft situation is.

• Lock your financial documents and records in a safe place at home, and lock your wallet or purse in a safe place at work.
• Keep your information secure from roommates or workers who come into your home.
• Limit what you carry. When you go out, take only the identification, credit, and debit cards you need. Leave your Social Security card at home.
• Shred receipts, credit offers, credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, checks, bank statements, expired charge cards, and similar documents when you don’t need them any longer.
• Take outgoing mail to post office collection boxes or the post office. Promptly remove mail that arrives in your mailbox.
• If you won’t be home for several days, request a vacation hold on your mail.

Know and control who you share your information with

• Be Alert to Impersonators
  Make sure you know who is getting your personal or financial information. Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact or know who you’re dealing with. If a company that claims to have an account with you sends email asking for personal information, don’t click on links in the email.
• Safely Dispose of Personal Information
  Before you dispose of a computer, get rid of all the personal information it stores. Use a wipe utility program to overwrite the entire hard drive. Before you dispose of a mobile device, check your owner’s manual, the service provider’s website, or the device manufacturer’s website for information on how to delete information permanently, and how to save or transfer information to a new device. Remove the memory or subscriber identity module (SIM) card from a mobile device. Remove the phone book, lists of calls made and received, voicemails, messages sent and received, organizer folders, web search history, and photos.
• Encrypt Your Data
  Keep your browser secure. A “lock” icon on the status bar of your internet browser means your information will be safe when it’s transmitted. Look for the lock before you send personal or financial information online.
• Keep Passwords Private
  Use strong passwords with your laptop, credit, bank, and other accounts. Be creative: think of a special phrase and use the first letter of each word as your password. Substitute numbers for some words or letters. For example, “I want to see the Pacific Ocean” could become 1W2CtPo.

Keep a close hold on your Social Security number and ask questions before deciding to share it.

If someone asks you to share your SSN or your child’s, ask:

• Why they need it
• How it will be used
• How they will protect it
• What happens if you don’t share the number

The decision to share is yours. A business may not provide you with a service or benefit if you don’t provide your number. Sometimes you will have to share your number. Your employer and financial institutions need your SSN for wage and tax reporting purposes.

• Frequent or unexplained withdrawals that are inconsistent for the elder
• Withdrawals from bank accounts or transfers between accounts the customer cannot explain
• A new “best friend” accompanying an older person to the bank
• Sudden non-sufficient fund activity or unpaid bills
• Closing accounts without regard to penalties
• Uncharacteristic attempts to wire large sums of money
• Suspicious signatures on checks, or outright forgery
• Confusion, fear or lack of awareness on the part of an older customer
• Checks written as “loans” or “gifts”
• Bank statements that no longer go to the customer’s home
• New powers of attorney the older person does not understand
• A caretaker, relative or friend who suddenly begins conducting financial transactions on behalf of an older person without proper documentation
• Altered wills and trusts

Report any financial elder abuse to your local Department of Social Services.