With your identity lost or stolen in the form of Driver Lisence, Social Security Number, Credit Card etc and the knowledge that it may have fallen in the wrong hands is totally unnerving, disturbing and worry some. Because you know what can happen when someone else other than yourself has complete information about your residence, your Social, credit card info etc. Sleepless nights are ahead and the prospect of a stranger claiming to be you could be very unsettling.
KEEP CALM and do the following things:
Time and speed with which you act upon learning that your identity has been stolen are very critical.
#1. Cancel or deactivate all your Credit Cards
Call your credit card companies and report that your card(s) has been stolen. Also report or dispute any unauthorized charges made on your credit card after the fact.
#2. File a Police Report
Conatct your local police department and file a report, listing everything that was stolen stolen. Ask for a copy of the report for your records.
#3.Place credit Freeze by calling each credit bureaus
When placing a credit freeze, you’ll need to supply your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, and other personal information. Fees vary based on where you live.
After receiving your freeze request, each credit reporting company will send you a confirmation letter containing a unique PIN (personal identification number) or password. Keep the PIN or password in a safe place. You will need it if you choose to lift the freeze.
- Place Fraud alert at all CC bureaus
- Lock your SSN
Employment-related identity fraud could mean that someone else is working under your identity and using your SSN. If this happens, someone else’s wages could be reported in your name to the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and other authorities. By using Self Lock, you can block someone from committing this fraud if they start working for an E-Verify employer. Even if you are not currently working, you may want to protect your SSN and identity with Self Lock.
If you lost your card, you may not need a replacement. In most cases, simply knowing your Social Security number (SSN) is enough. But, if you do need a replacement, you can complete your application online or in-person.
The easiest way to request a replacement SSN card is online with a free, personal my Social Security account. You can go to www.ssa.gov/ssnumber and answer a few questions to find out the best way to apply. If you aren’t able to use a personal my Social Security account to request a replacement card, you can still begin the process online and complete it in a local Social Security office or card center, usually in less time.
- Report to the police
- Monitor your credit history ALL the Time
- Look out for Dark Web alerts and take the necessary steps
- Apply for new DL if lost
- Dark Web/Phishing/Spear Phishing/Scams – story of scam emails from Nigerians ie Suzan,
- Cybersecurity – SLAM Method
- Anti-Virus/Spyware/Phishing software
- Cyber Attack
- Don’t use the same password across many accounts
- Create a password at least 16 characters long
Use 2 Factor authentication when