Here’s how you can protect yourself against identity theft and safeguard your personal information:

Place A Credit Freeze And Fraud Alert On Your Credit Reports

A credit freeze keeps people from getting into your credit report, and makes sure no one can open a new credit account without the freeze being lifted. It’s free to place a credit freeze, and easy to lift when needed – to do this, you’ll need to contact each of the three nationwide credit bureaus individually: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

A fraud alert tells businesses to check with you before opening a new account in your name, usually by contacting you directly. You can place a free one-year fraud alert through any of the three nationwide credit bureaus; that bureau must tell the other two about the alert.

Secure Sensitive Documents

Electronic statements are more secure than paper statements, but if you have any paper statements, shred them before disposal, and keep any essential financial documents in locked storage. If you do receive paper statements by mail, take your mail out of the mailbox as soon as possible to avoid theft.

Be Vigilant About Sharing Your Information

Some organizations may need your Social Security number to identify you, such as the IRS, your financial institutions, or your employer. However, they won’t call, email, or text you to ask for it. If anyone contacts you asking for your personal information, be vigilant and be careful.

Use Online Security Features

When logging in to an online account, use a strong, unique password. A password manager like 1Password can help generate and organize these for you, so you’ll only need to remember your master password for your password manager.

If accounts offer multi-factor authentication (like one-time passcodes or text message verification), turn it on for extra security – but don’t share your passcodes to anyone who asks! Doing so defeats the purpose of multi-factor authentication – even if someone has your username and password, they can’t get in without the next level of verification.