Seven Signs Someone Is Using Your Identity

Identity thieves rarely announce themselves. The sooner you notice the signs, the less damage they can do, and the easier the cleanup.

Watch for these

• Charges you don't recognize, even small ones. Thieves often test a card with a tiny purchase first.
• Bills or collection calls for accounts you never opened.
• Missing mail, like a statement that stops arriving.
• A credit denial when you expected approval.
• Password-reset emails you didn't request.
• Medical bills for care you never received.
• An IRS letter saying a return was already filed in your name.

Your first five steps

• Call the fraud department of every affected company, and close or freeze those accounts.
• Place a free fraud alert with one credit bureau (it tells the other two).
• Report it at IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan.
• Change the passwords on your email and bank accounts, and turn on two-factor authentication.
• Pull your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Hear about it sooner

Checking everything by hand is exhausting. That's why many people let a monitoring service watch for them. It alerts you when your information turns up somewhere it shouldn't, so you find out in days, not months.

Why retirees are targeted

Identity thieves often target older adults because they tend to have good credit and savings, and they may not check their accounts as often.

Protect your Medicare card

Treat your Medicare card like a credit card. Don't give your number to anyone who calls you unexpectedly, and check your Medicare statements for services you didn't receive.

Consider a trusted contact

Many banks let you name a trusted contact person who can be reached if they notice unusual activity.