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7 Ways to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

Writers have spun countless books and movie plots around the theme of one person pretending to be another, but the real-life crime of identity theft is serious business. The impact on victims can include damaged credit, financial ruin and a lengthy, frustrating recovery process.

Here's what you should know about how identity theft can put your financial safety at risk — and what you can do to protect yourself.


What Is Identity Theft?

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information (such as your name, address, or Social Security number — or your bank account, credit card, or insurance information) without your permission.1

Common forms of identity theft include:2

Tax ID theft – Using another person's Social Security number to file a phony tax return and steal the refund.

Medical ID theft – Using someone else's personal information to obtain medical services or submit fraudulent bills to a health insurance company.

Child ID theft – Stealing the identities of minors (who may not catch up to the deception until they become adults) and using their Social Security number to open bank or credit card accounts or apply for a loan, government benefits, rent, or utilities.

Senior ID theft – Using a senior citizen's personal information to fraudulently access their financial assets or benefits (usually committed by medical and long-term care services employees or caregivers who have access to a victim's personal information.)

Biometric ID theft — Stealing fingerprint, facial, or voice recognition data to access a victim's device, accounts, or digital wallets.

Synthetic ID theft — A complex fraud that uses a victim's real consumer data and combines it with fictitious data to create a new, fake identity.


How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

1. Review your credit reports at least once a year. You can check your credit reports weekly for free from the three national credit-reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Be sure to check the reports for errors, especially any accounts listed that you didn't open yourself. Learn how to obtain free credit reports.3

2. Be on the lookout for phishing attempts. Scammers send phishing emails, texts and phone calls to would-be victims —  disguised as a trusted organization or business —  to request personal data. Do not share any information with anyone who has contacted you. When in doubt, look up the correct entity's contact info and reach out to them yourself.

3. Manage your mail. Mail containing personal data can expose you to identity theft after you've thrown it away. Shred all documents with sensitive information first. You can also stop receiving pre-approved credit offers, which can contain such info, by removing yourself from credit bureau marketing lists at optoutprescreen.com.4

4. Use strong, complex passwords. It's especially important to use strong passwords for sensitive information, such as your bank, credit card, shopping and other financial accounts. Another important security measure: setting a strong password or using facial recognition on your devices. 

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Be sure to check your credit report for errors or fraud at least once a year.

5. Keep important documents in a safe. Instead of carrying your Social Security card in your wallet, lock it away in a safe, along with your passport. Keep copies of your driver's license and credit cards in a secure place so that if the original items are lost or stolen, you can quickly have them canceled and replaced. 

6. Freeze your credit reports. If you learn about a data breach or other event that may have exposed your personal information to potential theft, one option for stemming the damage is contacting the three main credit bureaus to freeze your credit reports, notes the Better Business Bureau.5 This prevents any fake "you" from applying for new credit in your name. If you want to apply for credit later, you will need to temporarily “thaw" the reports so lenders can access them. Credit freezes and thaws are free for all consumers. 

7. Monitor mobile accounts. Even the armor of a credit freeze can have chinks, as cybersecurity expert Brian Krebs points out.6 For instance, many identity thieves have managed to open mobile phone accounts in the names of people who had frozen their credit reports. That's because, instead of using Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion to vet customers, some mobile companies check applicants' credit through the National Consumer Telecommunications and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE). To prevent this problem, be sure to place a separate freeze with the NCTUE as well as the big three.7


What to do If You're a Victim of Identity Theft

If you believe you've been the victim of identity theft, there's a lot to do to stop the damage and start your recovery. The FTC's IdentityTheft.gov website can guide you through the process, including reporting the theft and developing a recovery plan.8 The most immediate actions to take include:9

  • Contact the companies where the fraud happened. Ask for the fraud department and close or freeze your accounts. Change all security data for your accounts.
  • Get your credit reports and place a fraud alert on them. Contact one of the three credit bureaus, Experian,10 TransUnion,11 or Equifax.12 Request a free, one-year fraud alert on your report. The bureau you contact will alert the other two. Get your free credit reports from annualcreditreport.com and review them for unauthorized transactions or accounts.
  • Report the fraud to the FTC. Complete the FTC's online form or call 1-877-438-4338.13
  • File a report with your local police department. A police report can help with recovery steps down the line.9 Bring your FTC report with you to file your local report.

A Good Defense

The long list of things you must do to protect yourself against identity theft shows that a good defense requires significant effort. Each of these steps, though, will make identity theft attempts that much more difficult.

Get into the habit of blocking identity thieves wherever you can, and your financial security will be that much stronger.


Consider Signing Up for Credit Monitoring

Does remembering to regularly scan your credit report sound exhausting? Another option: Choose a service that will do the credit monitoring for you.

For example, as a Synovus Plus, Synovus Inspire, or Synovus Private Wealth customer, you can enroll in complimentary Credit and Identity Protection services through Carefull. With this service, Synovus will monitor your credit reports and notify you any time any changes are made. Synovus will also scan the web to make sure your personal information hasn't been compromised by checking websites, blogs, peer-to-peer networks. Synovus also offers full-service identity restoration if you become a victim of identity theft.

Learn more about how you can achieve peace of mind as a Synovus customer with Carefull.


Important disclosure information

This content is general in nature and does not constitute legal, tax, accounting, financial or investment advice. You are encouraged to consult with competent legal, tax, accounting, financial or investment professionals based on your specific circumstances. We do not make any warranties as to accuracy or completeness of this information, do not endorse any third-party companies, products, or services described here, and take no liability for your use of this information.

  1. Federal Trade Commission, “Avoiding Identity Theft," accessed March 6, 2024. Back
  2. Marianne Hayes, "20 Different Types of Identity Theft and Fraud," Experian, November 7, 2023, accessed March 7, 2024. Back
  3. Federal Trade Commission, "Learn How to Get Free Credit Reports," accessed March 29, 2024. Back
  4. OptOutPrescreen.com, "Opt-In or Opt-Out," accessed March 7, 2024. Back
  5. Better Business Bureau, "BBB Tip: Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts," published February 18, 2020, accessed March 7, 2024. Back
  6. Krebs on Security, "Think You've Got Your Credit Freezes Covered? Think Again," Brian Krebs, published May 9, 2018, accessed March 7, 2024. Back
  7. National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange, "Exchange Service Center,"accessed March 13, 2024. Back
  8. Federal Trade Commission, "IdentityTheft.gov," accessed March 7, 2024. Back
  9. Federal Trade Commission, "What To Do Right Away," accessed March 7, 2024. Back
  10. Experian, "Consumer Support," accessed March 7, 2024. Back
  11. TransUnion, "Credit Help," accessed March 7, 2024. Back
  12. Equifax, "Equifax Consumer Services Center," accessed March 7, 2024. Back
  13. Federal Trade Commission, "IdentityTheft.gov Assistant," accessed March 7, 2024. Back