Comptroller Susana Mendoza highlights safety tips for Identity Theft Awareness Week

Identity Theft Awareness Week runs January 26-30

This is Identity Theft Awareness Week and Comptroller Mendoza is offering advice to help consumers protect themselves.

“One of the most important things to remember is that ID theft can happen to anyone, even your children” Comptroller Mendoza said. “That’s why it’s so important to safeguard personal information and keep an eye on bank accounts and credit cards.”

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission. Con artists use these details to make purchases with your credit cards, open a credit card in your name, steal your tax refund, get a job, get medical care or open a phone or utility account in your name.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 1.1 million complaints of identity theft in 2024. That’s an increase over the previous year. The most prevalent type of identity theft reported was credit card fraud. Another top problem is fraudsters using someone else’s identity to secure a loan or lease. The FTC says more than 43,000 of the country’s ID theft reports in 2024 were from Illinois.

How do you know if you’re a victim of ID theft?

• Purchases that you didn’t make show up on your debit or credit card statements.
• You receive bills for items you didn’t buy.
• You are denied a loan because your credit is unexpectedly bad.
• You find accounts in your name that you didn’t open.
• Medical providers bill you for services you didn’t use.
• The IRS notifies you that more than one tax return was filed in your name.

How can you protect yourself from identity theft?

• Keep a close eye on bank accounts and credit card activity. You should regularly check these to make sure there aren’t any suspicious withdrawals or purchases.
• Use strong passwords and multifactor authentication if possible. It may be a pain, but don’t make it easy for thieves to figure out your password.
• With that in mind, try to avoid sharing full birth dates, email addresses and family member’s full names on social media.
• Carry only the ID and credit cards you need and don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet.
• Shred documents with personal information before discarding.
• Be wary of a company or person contacting you via email, phone or text and asking for personal information unless you frequently do business with them. They may play on your sympathies or offer deals too good to be true to try and get you to divulge bank account numbers or other information.
• It’s important to check your credit history at least once a year through either Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. Each credit bureau offers one free credit report annually.
• Also make sure you protect your children’s personal information, including their Social Security number. The FTC says if a child is under age 16, parents may want to consider requesting a free credit freeze to make it harder for someone to open new accounts in the minor’s name. Child ID theft is dangerous because it may not be detected until the child is older and applies for a student loan or their first credit card.

The three credit bureaus can set up a credit freeze, which restricts access to your credit report. That means you, or anyone else, won’t be able to open a new line of credit unless the freeze is lifted. You can request a credit freeze even if you haven’t been a victim of identity theft.

If you suspect fraud, you can also request a fraud alert be placed on your credit report. This will make it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. Both options are free and can be done simultaneously. Contact information below:

Equifax: www.Equifax.com, 800-525-6285
Experian: www.Experian.com, 888-397-3742
TransUnion: www.TransUnion.com, 800-680-7289

What should you do if you think your identity has been stolen?

• Call the company or bank where you suspect the fraud occurred.
• Call the Illinois Attorney General’s Identity Theft Hotline which guides victims through the recovery process. The number is: 1-866-999-5630.
• Or you can report identity theft to the FTC, which will also help create a recovery plan.
• Place a fraud alert on your credit reports.
• Consider filing a police report with your local department.

“Identity theft isn’t just an inconvenience, it can potentially cause very serious problems,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “This can include ruining your credit or a thief giving YOUR name to the police if they are arrested.”

The Illinois Office of Comptroller offers Smart Consumer workshops covering identity theft, fraud and more to interested communities and organizations.