IF YOUR INFORMATION HAS BEEN COMPROMISED, BUT NOT YET MISUSED
Having your information lost or stolen can be a frightening experience, because you may worry about how the information may be misused if it falls into the wrong hands. You might be in this situation if, for example, your wallet was stolen; you responded to a phishing email; or you were notified that a company experienced a data breach and lost some of your data. Fortunately, if your data may have been accessed without authorization, there are steps you can take to detect misuse that has already occurred and to help prevent potential future misuse.
If you are in this situation and want to learn more about how to detect misuse of your information, follow the steps here. In addition, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit reports. Also, consider filing a complaint with the FTC.
If a company informs you that it experienced a breach and that some of your personal information has been compromised, the company may offer free credit monitoring. You should consider accepting this offer, as credit monitoring from a reputable company can help you quickly detect any misuse of your information. For more information about credit monitoring services, click here.
Many states have laws that govern how businesses should respond to data breaches, and what notice or assistance they are required to provide to affected consumers. For links to your state’s laws, click here.
For more information, read the FTC’s Consumer Alert, “What To Do If Your Personal Information Has Been Compromised.”
Hot Links
Use Our Materials In Your Community
The President's Identity Theft Task Force
2006 Identity Theft Survey Report
Test Your Knowledge about Identity Theft – Take the OnGuard Online Quiz
Key Publications
How To Plan and Host Protect Your Identity Days Kit (PDF 6MB)
To Buy or Not To Buy: Identity Theft Spawns New Products and Services To Help Minimize Risk (PDF 229KB)
Take Charge: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft
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Information Compromise and the Risk of Identity Theft: Guidance for Your Business
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Protecting Personal Information: A Guide for Business (PDF 3.47MB)