Identity theft is a growing problem in the United States, and dozens of companies offering various forms of “identity theft” protection have sprung up to combat it. Unfortunately, some these services do little to actually protect people’s identities, according to a study released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
An identity protection company will typically charge $10 to $20 a month to monitor changes in a person’s credit reports and public records that could indicate someone has either exploited existing accounts (such as credit cards) or tried to open up new accounts in their name (such as loans). However, these services often amount to just notifying a person promptly after their identity has already been stolen, the GAO said.
Both the GAO study and consumer protection organizations, like the Identity Theft Council, point out that consumers have more effective, low-cost methods to protect themselves from identity theft.
Here are some of their tips:
You can get a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com. You can stagger your request from each agency so that you can check your credit history for any suspicious new account openings every four months.
In addition, one of the most effective things only you can do yourself is to scan your monthly credit card and bank account statements. If you see any irregularities, contact the financial institution at once and let them know if you believe the charge is the result of identity theft.
You can place a free fraud alert on your identity if you believe you’ve become vulnerable for any reason, either because you lost your wallet, had your home or car broken into, or had your information stolen online. All you have to do is call any of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax 1-888-766-0008; Experian 1-888-397-3742; or TransUnion 1-800-680-7289) and they will notify the other two.
Placing a fraud alert lasts for 90 days and means that any credit provider will have to take extra steps to verify the identity of any person claiming to be you who tries to use your credit and open new accounts. It can be renewed for free every 90 days.
If you aren’t going to be applying for new credit for a while, one of the most effective things you can do to combat identity theft is to put a temporary freeze on your credit. You’ll have to call each of the three credit reporting agencies and pay a small fee ($5 to $10 each) to freeze your account, after which no one will be able to access your credit to open new accounts. It won’t affect your credit rating or your ability to use your existing accounts.
Keep in mind that while this shuts down other people from accessing your credit, it also stops you from opening new accounts. It typically takes three days for the agencies to unfreeze your accounts, so keep that lead time in mind if you want to apply for new credit, or need to allow a potential new employer to access your credit report as part of a background check.
One of the most common kinds of identity theft is when people use a stolen Social Security number and other personal information to file a fraudulent tax return in the hope of snatching a refund. Credit protection services can’t protect against this, unfortunately. The best defense is to simply file your return as soon as possible – once the IRS receives your return, it shuts the door on potential identity thieves.
If you have a fraudulent return filed in your name, you can still recover your refund from the IRS. If you’d like more information about that or have any other questions, feel free to reach out.
Contact us for guidance and application to your individual situation.
The information contained in this newsletter is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance. For more information or for assistance with any of your tax or business concerns, contact our office at 856.667.4100.
Empowering business owners and individuals in South Jersey and Philadelphia to feel confident through proactive accounting and advisory solutions.
