Identity theft is a major problem in the United States. In fact, nearly 30 percent of all adults in the United States will fall victim to identity theft at some point in their lives. In other words, identity theft poses a serious threat to everyone. Luckily, there are steps you can take to both recognize and prevent identity theft. When you learn how to recognize identity theft early, you can drastically lessen the damage it causes to your financial situation. Below is an overview of how you can recognize and prevent identity theft.
Signs of Identity Theft
The primary way to recognize identity theft is by reviewing your credit report. Your credit report contains all of your current credit account information, so anything you don’t recognize—such as a credit card you never applied for—is a sign that you may be a victim of identity theft. However, the signs of identity theft go beyond your credit report. Additional indications that you may be a victim of identity theft include:
- Failure to receive certain checks or bills,
- Receipt of bills for items you didn’t order or statements for credit cards you don’t recognize,
- Denial for credit cards or other loans despite a good credit history,
- Unauthorized bank transactions,
- Notice that your personally identifiable information was part of a data breach,
- Denial of your electronic tax filing, and
- Receipt of unauthorized authentication messages by email or text for unknown accounts.
Preventing Identity Theft
Although no one is completely safe from identity theft, there are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of becoming an identity theft victim, including:
- Don’t carry your social security card in your wallet,
- Monitor and protect your mail,
- Shred bank statements and other important documents that you don’t plan to keep,
- Avoid public Wi-Fi use,
- Make sure your passwords are strong, and
- Don’t share personal information on social media.
Contact a Consumer Class Action Attorney Today!
If you are a victim of identity theft, there are steps you can take to begin repairing your finances, one of which is contacting an experienced consumer class action attorney. Identity theft is often the result of the negligence of financial organizations and other businesses that store or have access to your private information. When one of these entities provides a third party with access to your financial information without your permission, our attorneys will work hard to ensure that they are held financially accountable for their actions. Our talented class action team has extensive investigative, litigation, and trial experience, which means that we have what it takes to effectively represent you in your consumer class action lawsuit. In addition, we have the experience and resources to stand up to major corporations and big businesses in court. Please contact us today to begin your journey to financial recovery.