Page 13 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – May/June 2021

While there’s no guarantee that you will not experience identity theft, here are things you can do to minimize your risk of becoming a victim.
1. Don’t share your personal information. Identity thieves are known for impersonating real businesses to gather sensitive data. If you get a call, email or document in the mail that seems suspicious, thoroughly review it before responding.
2. Use “Click Sense.” Identity thieves often clone emails from familiar companies or contacts. If you receive a suspicious email or one that requests an unusual action, don’t open and/or click on it. Hover the cursor over URL addresses to see where the links will direct you. If you click on a link and it turns out to be fraudulent, let the legitimate company know so they can warn other consumers.
3. Create strong passwords. Among your first lines of defense, passwords should be hard to crack. Also, don’t duplicate login credentials across sites. If one gets stolen, fraudsters will have access to multiple accounts. Try also using a password management tool.
4. Take advantage of two-factor authentication.
Most websites and apps now offer this extra layer
of protection. It requires users to enter two forms of identification to verify identity. Upon each login, you would receive a one-time code via mobile phone or computer to gain access to your account.
5. Only sign on to secure Wi-Fi sites. Fraudsters often set up free Wi-Fi networks and use them to steal
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information from joiners. Use only trusted and secure Wi- Fi when away from your home or work network.
6. Update your social media settings. Keep your location data and personal information on your social accounts private so fraudsters can’t scan your profile for personal details. Set your privacy settings to “friends” or “private.” Also, make sure no personal information is in any of the photos you post.
7. Set up alerts. When you enroll in an identity theft protection plan, you unlock monitoring features that will keep an eye on your personal information and alert you if signs of fraud are found.
8. Get your credit score. For free, access your credit report annually at AnnualCreditReport.com, which provides reports from all three major bureaus. If you spot anything suspicious or incorrect, notify your lender and the credit bureau.
9. Shop safely. Always look for “HTTPS” in the website’s URL to help protect your payment card and avoid using debit cards. Credit cards provide greater protection for fraudulent charges, and, unlike debit cards, they are not linked to your bank account.
10. Try ProtectMyID® fueled by Experian®. An exclusive AAA member benefit, it gives you the identity protection and peace of mind you need. ProtectMyID includes powerful features, such as Social Security Monitoring, Real-Time Identity Alerts, CreditLock, Fraud Resolution Support and more. To learn more and activate today, visit AAA.com/IDTheft.
MAY/JUNE 2021 I 13
FINANCIAL SERVICES
10 Tips
to Minimize Your Risk of Identity Theft