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Identity theft is a growing concern. The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Consumer Sentinel Network received over 5.4 million reports in 2023—19% of them were for identity theft. An even bigger problem? You might not even know someone’s using your identity.
From endless data breaches to sophisticated phishing scams to dangerous links, it can feel like there are countless ways your identity might get stolen. Luckily, you don’t have to stay in the dark. There are a few signs you can look for if you suspect your identity has been stolen. Being aware of these signs and passively looking for them goes a long way toward protecting you against identity theft.
In this guide, we discuss several signs of identity theft to look out for and how to protect yourself going forward.
Identity theft is a crime where someone steals your personal information and uses it for financial gain or to commit fraud. It’s like someone sneaking into your digital wallet and looking at your credit cards, social security number, and other sensitive information.
Thieves may use various techniques—phishing scams, keyloggers, or good old-fashioned dumpster diving to wreak havoc on unsuspecting individuals. A basic understanding of these techniques and some vigilance are mission-critical to protecting your privacy in the modern world.
There are some types of identity theft to be on the lookout for:
Criminals always leave clues. These clues help you pick up on instances of identity theft. However, the signs may differ based on the type of identity theft you’re dealing with.
Here’s an extensive list of signs that could indicate identity theft:
Read your monthly bank statement whenever you receive it and check every transaction, even small ones. If you notice any unauthorized charges, contact your bank and request they freeze your account to prevent more unauthorized transactions.
Credit card fraud is the most common type of identity theft, with a whopping 98,000+ reports in Q4 2023. Carefully audit your credit card statements when you receive them. Don’t ignore small transactions during the audit—the scammer might have tried a test transaction to verify the card is active.
Hard inquiries require approval. If you notice hard inquiries on your credit report, it shows someone else applied for a credit card in your name. Even if they have been unsuccessful so far, they might get a credit card approved at some point, max out the card, and leave you with the bill.
Financial institutions generally notify you about new accounts or loans via email or phone. But if the thief used a different address and number, the only way to identify new accounts or loans in your name is through your credit report. This is why regularly checking your credit report is mission-critical.
Received a call, email, or text for a purchase you didn’t make? A scammer might have used your identity to purchase an item using your credit card or account. While this is a sign of identity theft, it can also be a trap. If you receive an email offering product information and deep discounts with a link or a call asking for information like an account number or password, know that someone’s trying to steal your personal information.Protect your personal information: Have you been a victim of identity theft, brushing scam, or a data breach? Try Cloaked—a comprehensive privacy solution with a range of features that help ensure the privacy and security of your data.
Criminals have managed to break some of the most sophisticated infrastructure in the past. When such data breaches occur, companies must report them according to the state’s disclosure laws. Of course, the criminal might already have your personal information by the time you receive the disclosure, so it’s worth checking your accounts to ensure nothing looks out of the ordinary.
It’s frustrating to receive a call from someone asking you to repay a loan you never took. But it may not entirely be the caller’s fault. Someone might have stolen your identity and used it to take out a loan in your name.
The scammer might open new credit card accounts and take out loans. Unsurprisingly, they don’t intend to pay back the amount due on the card or loan. This translates to a drop in credit score. While a credit score isn’t money or a tangible asset, it represents your financial reputation, so you must safeguard it.
If your loan or credit application was rejected and you’re confident that you meet all the eligibility requirements, including a good credit score, consider checking your credit report. You’ll likely find someone abusing your credit. If you do, contact your financial institution immediately and report the incident to the FTC.
If your bank calls to inform you that a check bounced or your debit card payment isn’t going through, even though you believe your bank account has money, you might be dealing with identity theft. Check your bank account statements to track your funds. If you find something fishy, ask your bank to put a hold on your bank accounts and associated cards.
An identity thief might use your identity to receive medical care instead of stealing your money. If you’ve received an expected medical bill for medical care, medication, or equipment without receiving care, call your insurance company to inform them about the fraud.
The insurance company emails or calls customers when they reach their benefits limit. But when you receive this email or call without actually getting any medical care, there’s a chance someone stole your identity and used your insurance benefits. The thief might have stolen your information during a data breach or through phishing.
Did you notice an error or incorrect information in your medical records? Or maybe your insurance just emailed you refusing to cover a pre-existing condition you don’t have. In either case, you should contact the insurance provider and investigate the problem.
When a thief uses your personal information to sign up for a new account using your email, you might receive a verification or authentication text. It’s never a great idea to open links when you’re not sure about the source. Be proactive about privacy: Mask your email and phone number when signing up for online accounts to keep unsolicited messages and fraudsters away. Use Cloaked to generate multiple identities, each with a unique phone number and email, and keep your primary contact details private.
Thieves might redirect your tax refund to a different address or account. Contact the IRS about your tax refund and ask where the check was mailed. If a thief stole your tax refund, they likely changed the address to receive the tax refund check from the IRS.
Not all criminals are after money. It’s possible someone stole your identity and used your Social Security number to avoid or pass a background check when applying for a job. If you receive tax documents from an unknown employer, someone probably used your identity when applying for a job.
Surprise! You’re now a criminal and disqualified from your dream job. Does that sound painfully familiar? Then it’s possible someone stole your personal information, created a new identity using that information, and committed a crime. If this has happened to you, seek guidance on how to rectify this error.
If you see changes in your investment portfolio that you didn’t make or approve the broker to make, someone might have stolen your identity or gained access to your existing account. Immediately change your password if you notice an unauthorized change and inform your broker about the incident.
Police might show up at your door with an arrest warrant if someone stole your identity and used it to commit a crime. The problem usually goes away when you offer the police proof of identity and seek help to take corrective action.
Haven’t received your credit card’s monthly statement or important bills in the mail? An identity thief might have rerouted your mail to obtain more information about you or to commit deed fraud. Call your bank, credit card company, and anyone you receive mail from to correct your address. Then, investigate your bills and statements to look for unauthorized charges.
Not all criminals are digitally savvy. Some prefer to steal your identity with old-school techniques like stealing your ID. If you notice your resident card, passport, or driver’s license missing, you might be a victim of identity theft or become one at some point.
It’s frustrating to have your electricity or water cut off, especially when you pay bills on time. If you don’t have any overdue amounts payable to the utility provider but got cut off, it’s worth investigating if someone stole your identity. The thief could’ve intercepted your checks or gained unauthorized access to your bank account.
Getting a package is always exciting, but not quite if you or anyone at your home didn’t place any orders. The address on the package may be yours, but the name might not be. This could mean someone stole your identity but didn’t change your address or planned to intercept the package before you received it.In some cases, the package could also hint at a brushing scam.
You’ve saved your password securely in a password manager that automatically inputs login details when you open a certain website. This time around, you’re asked to enter the password manually.When you do, you see an error—this could indicate that your account was hacked and your password changed.Protect your passwords from phishing: Use the Cloaked password manager to securely store your passwords. Cloaked auto-fills passwords whenever you go to the respective login page. If you go to a login page (by clicking a link) and the password manager doesn’t automatically fill in the details, that’s a sign that you’re on a phishing page.
Websites often change their interfaces, but they also share this update via email. If you notice a new look and haven’t received any communication, you might be a victim of a phishing attack, where an individual has replicated a website and is trying to trick you into entering your personal information or credentials. To avoid falling for such a scam, always verify the website’s URL to ensure it’s the right site, preferably by typing the address directly into your browser rather than clicking on links in emails.
Most banks, software companies, and social media platforms email you when they notice a suspicious login attempt. This indicates that someone has your email and potentially your password, but couldn’t log into your account either because the password was incorrect or you had 2FA set up.
Children are easy targets. They don’t check their credit report or bank statements regularly. They’re also more likely to ignore emails about unauthorized charges and ignore other signs of identity theft.
If you’ve just received mail with a credit card application in your child’s name, they have most likely become a victim of identity theft.
Think someone might have stolen your identity? Here’s what you should do next:
The early signs we discussed above can help identify potential cases of theft. While they’re not always 100% accurate, it’s important to monitor them so a real instance of identity theft doesn’t slide through the cracks.
To determine what the identity thief stole:
Once you confirm identity theft, report it to:
The best way to protect your identity? Never let your personal data wander the web unprotected. A comprehensive privacy solution like Cloaked ensures your private data won’t end up in a criminal’s hands. Here’s how Cloaked protects your data and privacy:
It’s natural to have questions when trying to protect your identity or dealing with identity theft. We answer some common identity theft questions below.
You can check if your ID was used by checking your bank and credit card statements, monitoring your email, and periodically reviewing your login history. However, the specific documents or accounts to investigate depend on the type of identity theft you’re dealing with.
There’s no surefire way to determine if your SSN is compromised. However, if you believe your SSN may be compromised, look for signs like unauthorized activity on your account, receiving statements for an account you didn’t open, or unexpected changes in your credit report. If you notice any of these signs, take swift action.
There’s no surefire way to check your name for identity theft, but you should always keep your eyes and ears open. Being aware and vigilant about signs of identity theft we discussed above, especially unauthorized transactions in your account, new accounts you didn’t open, and a sudden drop in your credit score.
Preventing identity theft is much easier than recovering money from a cybercriminal who lives in another country. Thankfully, safeguarding your personal information is possible, especially when you have access to a privacy solution like Cloaked.
You can use Cloaked to create identities, securely share information, and store passwords in an encrypted digital space. Cloaked also offers identity theft protection—an insurance that covers damages of up to $1 million from identity theft.
Don’t wait for your identity to be stolen.
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