Protecting Your Identity: What To Know, What To Do

LINCOLN — People should be on the alert for possible identity theft and take steps to protect their identity, Megan Hudgens with Simmons Bank recently told members of Lincoln Area Kiwanis Club.

Hudgens presented a program called “Protecting Your Identity: What to Know, What to Do.” She gave advice on warning signs for identity theft and how to reduce the risk of it.

Identity theft is when someone steals your personal information, uses it without permission, possibly damaging a person’s finances, credit history and reputation.

Warning signs include mistakes on accounts or a person’s Explanation of Medical benefits, when regular bills go missing, calls from debt collections that are not your debts, a notice from the IRS or calls or mail about accounts in your minor child’s name.

Hudgens said thieves will steal information from trash or from a business, trick people into revealing personal information, steal a wallet or purse or pretend to offer a job, loan or apartment to obtain personal information.

To protect your identity, Hudgens recommended treating your personal information with care and making that a habit, just like buckling a seatbelt or locking doors at night.

Customers should always go over their bank and credit card statements, as well as reviewing their Explanation of Medical Benefits that come in the mail.

“Be alert for bills that don’t arrive when you expect them and follow up if you get account statements you don’t expect,” Hudgens said.

If you receive a notice from the IRS, she says to respond quickly to the agency. The phone number for the IRS Specialized Identity Theft Protection Unit is 1-800-908-4490.

To protect personal information, people should keep important papers secure, be careful with mail, shred sensitive documents and do not overshare on social networking sites. To protect information on the computer, Hudgens recommends using anti-virus software and a firewall, creating strong passwords and keeping the computer’s operating system, browser and security up to date. Also, she recommended that people should encrypt their data, be wise about wi-fi, lock laptops and read privacy policies.

If people suspect identity theft, they should place an initial fraud alert on their credit report. There are three nationwide credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Order a copy of your credit report from each company and read these reports carefully and correct any errors. Contact the police department to file a report.

Lastly, file an identity theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.