What Is Identity Theft?

Video description

Routine steps we can all take to protect our personal information and reduce our risk of identity theft.

Video transcript

NARRATOR: Identity theft happens. It’s an unfortunate fact of modern life.

But there are certain steps you can take to help keep your personal information from falling into the wrong hands.

Everyday you do things to protect what’s most important to you. And you know what? You do them almost automatically.

Routine things like looking both ways before you cross… brushing your teeth… and buckling your seatbelt.

Another routine to get into is keeping tabs on your identity and personal information. Here are five easy ways you can do it:

Read your credit card and bank statements carefully and often every month. Know your payment due dates. If a bill doesn’t show up when you expect it, look into it.

Read the statements from your health insurance plan. Make sure the claims paid match the care you got.

Shred any documents with personal and financial information.

Review your three credit reports at least once a year. It’s easy and free.

And before you know it, protecting your personal information can be as routine as locking your doors at night.

Visit ftc.gov/idtheft for more information.