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Millions of Americans fall victim to identity theft each year, and the consequences can be devastating, both financially and emotionally. Credit card fraud is one of the most common types of identity theft, but some other common fraud types include account takeover fraud, loan and lease fraud, and government document and benefits fraud.

If you’ve fallen victim to identity theft or want to be more prepared should your personal information fall into the wrong hands, keep in mind the following steps.

• Contact the “Big Three” credit reporting agencies, which are Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, to have a fraud alert attached to your credit report. A fraud alert makes it harder for fraudsters to open new accounts in your name because creditors must take extra steps to verify your identity before granting credit.
• You might consider taking the extra measure of placing a security freeze on your credit reports. This will make it even more difficult for a thief to open new accounts since most creditors need to see your credit report before approving new accounts.
• Contact your financial institutions and the local authorities and alert them of the theft. Your financial institutions can help monitor your accounts and may be able to reverse fraudulent charges, while contacting the police establishes a record that you are actively trying to address the problem.
• Update your passwords for each account, and add multi-factor authentication when possible. These added layers of security will help you stay even more protected from future fraud or charges.
• Stay on top of your credit reports and accounts, especially in the months following the theft. You can now access your free credit reports weekly from each of the major credit reporting bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Staying Vigilant

Preventing identity theft is just as critical as responding quickly if it ever does happen. Some strategies you can put into place today to protect yourself in the long term include:

• Use strong passwords: Using complex and unique passwords for each of your accounts is vital in keeping hackers out. And, whenever possible, use multi-factor authentication so you can be notified each time someone is accessing your accounts.
• Stay up-to-date on phishing scams: Cybercriminals will often try to deceive you through text messages, email, and spoofed websites to try to trick you into providing your sensitive information. Always have a heightened sensitivity when these communications include links, downloadable attachments, or require authentication of your information.
• Limit information shared: Be cautious about sharing personal details like your social security number and identifiable information that could be used to answer a security question.

To help you stay on top of your First Harvest accounts, you can monitor your money through customized alerts sent right to your phone or email! Additionally, enroll your First Harvest debit card in Mastercard's ID Theft Protection, as well as learn more about how to contact the credit bureaus should you believe you may be a victim of phishing or identity theft.