What Are Signs of Identity Theft?

Identity thieves actively seek ways to exploit personal information, make unauthorized purchases, access medical accounts and claim tax refunds. Consumers filed more than 1.4 million identity theft reports with the Federal Trade Commission in 2020, twice as many as in 2019. The following warning signs, identified by the FTC, warrant attention.

Unrecognized Changes on Your Credit Report

Review your credit report for unrecognized charges and accounts. This indicates potential unauthorized access. You are entitled to one free annual report from each major bureau (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), with weekly reports available during the pandemic.

Merchants Decline Your Checks

Merchants refusing your personal checks may signal that a thief has compromised your bank account or opened fraudulent accounts in your name.

Unexplained Charges on Your Accounts

Monitor bank and credit card statements for suspicious withdrawals. Report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov and request credit freezes from major bureaus.

Missing Mail

Intercepted mail preventing timely bill delivery indicates possible fraudulent activity.

Unexpected Debt Collector Calls

Unexpected collection calls regarding unfamiliar debts suggest someone may have incurred obligations in your name.

Health Insurance Claim Rejections

Benefit limits reached unexpectedly may indicate medical identity theft.

Unexplained Medical Bills

Bills for services you did not receive suggest fraudulent use of health insurance information.

Suspicious Medical Records

Unfamiliar health conditions in your records signal potential medical identity fraud that could affect your care access.

Contact our office today to schedule a consultation.