Mar 09, 2022
This week is National Consumer Protection Week, making it the perfect time to protect yourself against identity theft and financial fraud. Be vigilant because the bad guys are working overtime to separate you from your identity and money.
Here are a few steps you can take to protect yourself:
- Keep Your Contact Information Updated - Make sure your bank and financial firms have the latest information on you so that you receive information and account statements.
- Set Up Account Alerts - Alerts can notify you of large transactions, new transfers or significant account changes so you can take action immediately if needed.
- Ignore and Report Suspicious Contacts – Beware of unsolicited emails, texts and phone calls purporting to be from banks, credit cards or government agencies.
- Don't Reveal Your Information to Just Anyone - Never give personal or business information to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly through a message or phone call.
- Watch Out for Sophisticated Counterfeit Messages – Watch out for signs of spoofed messages when criminals use official-looking government logos or corporate branding to make communications look authentic, but the "from" addresses is not from an official source.
- Don't Click Links or Open Attachments – Never click on links or download files from an email or text unless you are 100 percent sure of where it's from, as these can launch malicious software on your computer or smart device.
Find more tips and resources to protect your information and accounts at consumer.ftc.gov.
