Identity Theft

What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information, such as your name, Social Security number, account numbers, date of birth or login credentials, without your permission to commit fraud. Thieves may open new credit cards or loans in your name, access your existing accounts, file a tax return to claim your refund or use your information to receive medical care.

Today, much of this happens electronically. Criminals obtain information through data breaches, phishing emails and texts, malware, stolen phones or social media, and they can act on it within minutes.

Warning Signs to Watch For

Identity theft isn’t always obvious at first. Contact us right away if you notice any of the following:

• Charges, withdrawals or transfers you don’t recognize
• Bills, statements or account alerts for accounts you didn’t open
• Calls from debt collectors about debts that aren’t yours
• Unfamiliar accounts or credit inquiries on your credit report
• Expected mail or statements that suddenly stop arriving
• Password reset emails or login codes you didn’t request
• Changes to your email, phone number or address on an account that you didn’t make
• A notice from the IRS that more than one tax return was filed in your name
• A notification that your information was exposed in a data breach
• Emails or texts claiming to be from you, or from us, that seem out of character

Protect Yourself Before It Happens

What to Do If Your Identity Is Stolen

If you suspect identity theft, act quickly. These steps can help limit the damage and start your recovery.

1. Contact us right away. Call our office at (202) 930-6000. We can work with our custodial partners to place additional protections on your accounts, so that requests are verified with extra care while your regular activity, such as automatic payments, continues as normal.
2. Report it to the FTC. File an official identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov or by calling 1-877-438-4338. You’ll receive a personalized recovery plan, and your report helps document the theft as you work to restore your identity.
3. Place a fraud alert or credit freeze. Contact one of the three credit bureaus to place a free fraud alert, and that bureau will notify the other two. An initial fraud alert lasts one year. If you’ve filed an identity theft report, you can request an extended fraud alert that lasts seven years. For the strongest protection, place a credit freeze with all three bureaus.
4. Notify your other financial institutions. Alert your banks, credit card companies and any other investment firms you work with. Ask them to place a fraud or “red flag” alert on your accounts, and keep a record of the date, time and name of each person you speak with.
5. Change your passwords and add security. Start with your email account, since it’s often the key to resetting everything else. Then update passwords for your financial and other online accounts, avoid reusing passwords and turn on multi-factor authentication wherever possible. Check your email settings for any forwarding rules you didn’t set up.
6. File additional reports as needed. Report online fraud or scams to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You may also want to file a report with your local police department.
7. Keep monitoring. Continue reviewing your statements and credit reports closely in the months ahead, dispute any fraudulent activity and keep copies of all reports and correspondence.

Helpful Resources