In today’s digital world, online fraud and identity theft are becoming increasingly prevalent.
If you find yourself a victim of such crimes, it is crucial to act swiftly to mitigate potential damage and protect your financial security.
While the process can be overwhelming, following a few essential steps can help you regain control and prevent further harm.
Immediate reporting and thorough investigation are key to minimizing liability and stopping criminals from using your personal information.
Here is a step-by-step guide on what to do if you are a victim of online fraud or identity theft in the United States.
- Call 911 or visit the local police statement and file a statement. This is very important. If travelling, file in the city where you observed the breach
- Pull up a free credit report (www.annualcreditreport.com) and look at the “inquiries” showing whether any credit was attempted using your stolen identity. You are allowed a free report from each credit bureau once a year. I recommend you request every 4 months and review. If you see an unauthorised inquiry, Report the credit card as compromised to the issuer, and they will reissue you a new credit card with the number. DO NOT CLOSE Credit Card. Closing accounts, especially earlier credit accounts, will negatively affect your credit score.
- Print 90 days of bank statements, go line by line, the same drill, see anything unusual, and request a new debit card and account number from your bank. Ensure you update card details online with online merchants like Amazon
- Take your computer to “BestBuy” or any electronic shop, and get it cleaned for trojans and viruses. Please don’t log into online banking until you finish this. Then buy an antivirus, load it to your phone (your phone is a bank and computer) and PC, and then you can log into your bank account.
- Change regular email passwords. Change passwords frequently. The straightforward rule is: Could you change your toothbrush? Change your password
- Freeze your credit, call or visit @TransUnion , @Equifax , and @Experian place a credit freeze. This prevents bad actors from using your identity to obtain credit; you should do this with or without a breach. Most credit bureaus offer a limited time for free, so find out.
- visit the Socal Security Admin page on www.ssa.gov to review your accounts, especially the earnings statements
- file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission
Here are a few preventive tips for you going forward
- Get contactless debit cards, tap and pay; don’t insert them into an ATM or gas station reader.
- Be careful which sites you use your card. If travelling, use a credit card rather than a debit card, as credit cards are easier to dispute a transaction without the card being shut down.
- Buy and use a shredder; don’t toss personal records in the trash without destroying them.
- Dont click on online links
- Consider, if possible, opening a separate online account with an online card to do your shopping
- Don’t use the cash app or Zelle to accept funds transfers from people you don’t know. If you are doing business, send an invoice. If someone online says, “Send the refund back to me”, send back cash exactly how it came. Your bank or credit card processor can reverse a transaction
- No bank or credible organisation accepts payments in gift cards. Sending gift cards or crypto as payment is a red flag; ask questions
- Never reveal your PIN to anyone, including bank staff, and never reveal the text verification code to anyone, especially the guy on the phone. No vendor needs that number to process a transaction.
- If you are on vacation, buy those disposable debit cards from the store in the US. Load with $50, and use that for street vendors.
In summary, you are responsible for protecting your physical card and devices that give you access to your financial information. If you suspect something, lock the card and report it. If it sounds too good to be true, then it is.
