Protect Your Senior Loved Ones from Identity Theft

Identity theft is a crime that can happen to anyone, but seniors are particularly vulnerable. Scammers may target seniors because they may be more likely to trust strangers, and they may be less familiar with the latest scams.

There are a number of things you can do to help protect your senior loved ones from identity theft. You should:

Educate Them About Identity Theft

The first step to protecting the seniors in your life is to educate them about what identity theft is and how to avoid it. Explain to them that identity theft is a crime in which someone steals their personal information, such as their Social Security number, credit card number, or bank account number. This information can then be used to open new accounts in their name, make fraudulent charges, or even apply for loans.

Talk to them about the different types of scams that scammers use to target seniors. Things like:

• Phishing scams. Scammers send emails or text messages that appear to be from a legitimate company, such as a bank or government agency. They ask the recipient to click on a link or open an attachment, which then installs malware on the recipient’s computer or device. This malware can steal the recipient’s personal information.
• Grandparent scams. Scammers call seniors and pretend to be their grandchildren. They claim to be in trouble and need money. Seniors are often tricked into sending the scammers money because they believe they are helping their grandchildren.
• Tech support scams. Scammers call seniors and claim to be from a tech support company. They tell the seniors that their computer is infected with a virus and need to pay a fee to have it fixed. Seniors are often tricked into giving the scammers their credit card information.

Help Protect Their Personal Information

Once they understand what identity theft is and how to avoid it, you can help them protect their personal information by:

• Shredding all documents that contain personal information before throwing them away. This includes bank statements, credit card statements,medical records, and old tax returns.
• Be careful about what information you share online. Only share personal information with websites that you trust.
• Use strong passwords for all online accounts. Your passwords should be at least 8 characters long and include a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.
• Be careful about opening emails and text messages from unknown senders. Don’t click on links or open attachments in emails or text messages from people you don’t know.
• Install anti-virus and anti-spyware software on your computer and keep it up to date. This software can help protect your computer from malware that can steal your personal information.

Monitor Their Credit Reports and Financial Statements

One of the best ways to detect identity theft early is to monitor your senior family members credit reports and financial statements. You can order a free copy of their credit reports from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) once a year at annualcreditreport.com. Review their bank statements and credit card statements regularly for any unauthorized charges.

If You Suspect Identity Theft, Act Quickly

Here are some steps you should take:

• Contact the credit bureaus and place a fraud alert on their credit reports. This will alert creditors to the possibility of identity theft and may help prevent new accounts from being opened in their name.
• Contact their banks and credit card companies and close any accounts that have been compromised.
• File a report with the police.
• Consider contacting an identity theft protection service. These services can help you monitor your loved one’s credit reports and financial statements for fraudulent activity, and they can help you resolve identity theft issues.

Additional Tips

• Help them set up direct deposits for their Social Security checks and pension payments. This will help prevent their checks from being stolen or lost.
• Discourage them from carrying around large sums of money. If they need to carry cash, advise them to only carry what they need.
• Help them create a strong password manager to keep track of their passwords.
• Encourage them to use two-factor authentication.

Identity Theft Protection from HHWA Legal

If you haven’t already, you can sign up for the free identity theft benefit provided through your HHWA Legal and Personal Protection plan. Among other identity theft protection services, this benefit provides:

• Identity monitoring 
• Social Security monitoring 
• Debit or credit card monitoring 
• Identity theft restoration 
• Lost or stolen credit card assistance 
• And more 

Sign up by tapping below and filling out a form.