If you suspect your personal information was
stolen by scammers, file a report with the FTC
at identitytheft.gov.
PHONE NUMBER THEFT: Scammers are
stealing phone numbers, which can leave you
vulnerable to other forms of identity theft.
The scam is clever: A malevolent actor calls
your cellphone carrier pretending to be you,
and after confirming some key information
such as your mother’s maiden name, transfers
your phone number to their device. You may
not find out this has happened until you go
to make a call and find that your SIM card has
been deactivated.
Because phone numbers are often used as
security keys, hackers may be able to get
into many other accounts once they have
access to your phone account. Make it harder
to penetrate by avoiding common security
questions, Davis says. “When you set up your
security questions and answers, make sure
you’re using really challenging questions that
are going to be hard to figure out.”
RELATED LINKS:
NERDWALLET: Do you need identity theft
protection services? http://bit.ly/nerdwallet-
compares-identity-theft-protection-services
FORBES: Why you should never use
airport USB charging stations
http://bit.ly/forbes-airport-usb-stations
FTC: Report identity theft
http://www.identitytheft.gov/