As technology has evolved over the decades, so has the ability for people to get our personal information.
Unfortunately, older adults tend to be attractive targets for scammers. We tend to have better credit scores and more savings. However, fraud for an older adult can be devastating because we don’t have the literal time to recover from a large loss.
Identity theft can have devastating consequences for your finances, credit score, and overall sense of security.
What happens if you think you’ve been caught by a scammer or think your information might be at risk?
Thanks to the Federal Trade Commission, there’s a checklist for that.
Identity Theft Steps
While I hope you never have to use this checklist, you might want to bookmark it in case you or a loved one ever need it.
This simple-to-follow checklist from the FTC will help you follow all the steps you need to take in order to protect yourself from further risk.
What I love is that it’s all broken down into steps with exactly what you need to do, including how to report the theft to the FTC, what you might need to report it to your local police department, and even helpful links to make everything as easy as possible.
Make sure you scroll down the page, because it has steps for everything including a misused Social Security number, stopping debt collectors, and even how to contact utility companies or government benefit agencies about possible identity theft.
Safeguard Your Identity
Unfortunately, we all need to be vigilant when it comes to protecting our personal information. The risks of identity theft are very real, but by taking steps to safeguard your information and being aware of the common methods used by scammers, you can greatly reduce your risk of falling victim to this type of fraud.
And if you do suspect that your information has been compromised, remember that the Federal Trade Commission has a helpful checklist to guide you through the steps you need to take to protect yourself. By taking action promptly, you can minimize the damage and regain your peace of mind.
