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The eight warning signs your identity has been stolen... and how YOU can protect yourself
Identity theft reports are on the rise in the US, with more than 15 million people reporting their identity was stolen in 2023.
If your worried about protecting your identity in an age where hackers can quickly access your passwords and breach your phone's security, there are eight subtle signs that can help you stop cybercriminals in their tracks.
Experts have state that most identity theft protection services don't actually work because they don't flag a problem until your accounts, finances and credit score has been affected.
Now there are tell-tale signs to identify if someone is trying to access your personal information including credit card test charges, junk emails and problems with your streaming accounts.
By understanding what signs to watch out for, you can learn how to protect your identity which can take months or years to correct.
More than 15 million people reported their identity was stolen last year and cost Americans $43 billion in legal fees and covering the debt
Identity fraud cost Americans a collective $43 billion last year which included legal fees and covering fraudulent debt that wasn't covered or reimbursed by the bank or merchant, a recent study by the cybersecurity company, Javelin, reported.
Researchers found that affected consumers spent an average of 10 hours trying to resolve identity fraud, up from six hours in 2022.
'That's a massive increase,' Suzanne Sando, Javelin's senior analyst in fraud and security told AARP.
'I think it goes back to the fact that we have so many accounts. That certainly plays into this increase in resolution time.'
1. Unrecognized 2FA logins
If you have an online bank account, streaming service or electronically file your taxes you likely have two-factor authentication (2FA).
This is meant to be an additional security measure that requires you to type in a code that's sent to your email, by text or through an authenticator app - but unprompted 2FA push notifications could mean someone is trying to access your accounts.
Receiving these notifications you didn't request might mean that someone has at least partially stolen your identity and could have the majority of the information needed to access your accounts, since most require a password before the 2FA code.
You should take immediate action if you start getting unrecognized 2FA notifications by checking your online accounts and credit reports to make sure nothing looks like it's been compromised and change your password, according to LifeHacker.
2. Glitches on your streaming accounts
Some signs that your streaming account has been compromised include logging into your Spotify and hearing music that you weren't playing or wouldn't listen to, or if out-of-the-norm recommended shows and movies appear on your Netflix profile.
This activity doesn't necessarily mean someone has stolen your identity, but could mean they're in the process of trying to do so.
Streaming accounts are perhaps the most unsecured because by just getting into your account's settings using a password, someone would be able to find your full name, home address, email, date of birth and more.
'[Criminals ] know that most people use the same password on all their accounts,' James E. Lee, chief operating officer of the Identity Theft Resource Center told AARP.
This information would make it easier for the person to hack into your other online accounts and steal your identity, according to Keeper Security, an international the cybersecurity company.
3. Test charges on your credit cards
Hackers typically conduct test charges on your credit card when they're attempting to steal your money and identity to make sure the card is in service and to see if you will notice the outgoing payments.
These charges would be in small increments, between $1 and $10, and be made to something generic like a bodega or online shopping site.
'When you see a charge you don't recognize on your credit card, it's important to take action right away,' Lisa Plaggemier, executive director at the National Cybersecurity Alliance told USA Today.
'Start by reviewing your recent transactions and reaching out to the merchant to clarify what the charge is for,' she added.
If you see these test charges it's important to immediately freeze your account before calling the bank to cancel the credit card and reissue you a new one and open an investigation into the fraudulent activity.
4. Major credit score fluctuations
Experts advise that people check their credit scores regularly to make sure it hasn't drastically changed.
If your score altered by more than a few points in either direction, it is an obvious sign that someone has stolen your identity.
Your credit score naturally fluctuates from month to month, going up and down by several points but should never change quite so drastically.
A score that has jumped, even temporarily, is a sign that someone has opened new credit cards in your name which would improve your credit, but this would be short-lived because it will tank after the person maxes out the credit cards and fails to make payments.
Take steps to dispute the information with the credit reporting company and explain what you think it wrong and submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to open an investigation into the fraudulent activity.
If you have stopped seeing bank and credit card statements and bills being mailed or emailed to you, this could be a sign that someone has stolen your identity
5. Receiving strange junk mail
Receiving junk mail or emails could be a sign that someone is spending money under your name which is inadvertently putting you on mailing lists you wouldn't have otherwise signed up for.
Another sign is if you begin receiving mail that's under someone else's name which is known as 'synthetic identity theft' - meaning someone has combined your personal information with fabricated data to create a new identity.
If you notice this happening, check your credit reports to ensure none of your personal accounts or information has been compromised.
6. Missing bank and credit card statements
If you have stopped seeing bank and credit card statements and bills being mailed or emailed to you, this could be a sign that someone has stolen your identity, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Hackers will change the mailing or emailing address on your accounts so you don't see the outgoing payments or charges.
Should you notice this, log into your account to make sure you still have access and change your passwords and add any extra security like a 2FA or a verbal password.
Search for any unauthorized charges or payments and if they were posted to your account, contact the business' fraud department.
Also check to make sure the email and mail address on your account is still correct - if it isn't, assume someone has stolen your identity.
7. Credit card problems
If you try to use your credit card but it's denied when you buy something, your bank might have put a block or hold on the account.
This would happen if a purchase was made for an exorbitant amount on the card or if there has been too much unusual activity - the bank might flag it as suspicious.
Contact the bank to check why your card isn't working to make sure someone hasn't taken over your account.
8. Tax issues
A common method hackers use is tax fraud - meaning they can steal your identity and file your taxes on your behalf while claiming a much higher income to get a better refund.
Signs that this has happened would be if the IRS rejects your filing, telling you that you've already sent through your taxes, if you received an unexpected refund or if the IRS sends you unexpected tax records.