Category: Quick Guide / Money & Budgeting

⚡ Protecting Your Personal Information

Personal information can be used to access your accounts, steal your money, open accounts in your name, or impersonate you. Protecting it means being careful about what you share, securing your documents and devices, and watching for signs of misuse.

Know What Information to Protect

Sensitive information includes:

• Social Security number
• Birth date
• Home address
• Bank- and credit-card numbers
• Passwords and PINs
• Driver’s license or passport number
• Health-insurance information
• Tax and employment records
• Security-question answers
• Account verification codes
• Photographs of identification documents

Even information that seems harmless can help someone impersonate you when combined with other details.

Share Only What Is Necessary

Before providing personal information, ask:

• Why is it needed?
• How will it be used?
• How will it be protected?
• Is there another form of identification I can provide?
• Can I provide only the last four digits?
• Is this person or organization legitimate?

Some employers, banks, government agencies, and other organizations may legitimately need identifying information. That does not mean you should provide it to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.

The FTC recommends asking whether another identifier or only the last four digits can be used before sharing your Social Security number.

Protect Your Social Security Number

• Do not routinely carry your Social Security card.
• Keep the card in a secure location.
• Do not use the number as a password or PIN.
• Avoid sending it through ordinary email or text.
• Do not provide it during an unexpected call or message.
• Ask whether an organization truly needs the complete number.
• Shred unnecessary documents displaying it.

A caller knowing part of your Social Security number does not prove that the call is legitimate.

Use Strong, Unique Passwords

For every important account:

• Create a long, unique password.
• Do not reuse passwords across multiple accounts.
• Avoid names, birthdays, addresses, and common phrases.
• Store passwords in a reputable password manager.
• Change a password promptly if it may have been exposed.
• Never give a password to someone who contacts you.

Protect your email account especially carefully. Someone with access to your email may be able to reset passwords for your other accounts.

Turn On Multifactor Authentication

Multifactor authentication requires another form of verification in addition to your password.

Depending on the account, this may be:

• A code from an authentication app
• A security key
• A fingerprint or facial scan
• A code sent to your phone or email

Turn it on for:

• Email
• Banking and credit cards
• Payment services
• Social media
• Shopping accounts
• Cloud storage
• Medical accounts

Multifactor authentication makes it harder for someone to enter an account with a stolen password.

Never share a verification code with someone who calls or messages you. A legitimate representative should not need you to read back a code intended for your login.

Be Careful With Calls and Messages

Scammers may pretend to represent:

• Your bank
• A government agency
• A utility company
• A delivery service
• Technical support
• A family member
• Your employer
• A familiar business

Warning signs include:

• Unexpected requests for personal information
• Threats or pressure to act immediately
• Requests for passwords or verification codes
• Suspicious links or attachments
• Claims that an account must be “verified”
• Demands for gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers
• Instructions to move money to “protect” it

Caller ID and email sender names can be faked.

If a message may be legitimate, do not use its link or contact information. Contact the organization through its official website, app, statement, card, or a number you independently verified.

Protect Your Phone and Computer

• Use a password, PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition.
• Set the screen to lock automatically.
• Install software and security updates.
• Download apps only from trusted sources.
• Review app permissions.
• Back up important files.
• Use secure home Wi-Fi.
• Avoid accessing financial accounts on public devices.
• Sign out when using a device shared with others.
• Enable features that help locate or erase a lost device.

Do not store unprotected photographs of your Social Security card, passport, checks, or credit cards on your phone.

Use Public Wi-Fi Carefully

Public Wi-Fi may not be secure.

While connected to an unfamiliar public network, avoid:

• Online banking
• Entering payment information
• Accessing tax or medical records
• Sending sensitive documents
• Changing important passwords

Use your mobile connection or another trusted network for sensitive activity whenever possible.

Protect Paper Documents and Mail

• Collect mail promptly.
• Use a secure mailbox when possible.
• Store financial and identification documents in a locked location.
• Shred sensitive documents before discarding them.
• Do not leave checks, statements, or identification visible.
• Pause or redirect mail when you will be away.
• Watch for bills or statements that unexpectedly stop arriving.

Shred documents containing account numbers, signatures, Social Security numbers, medical information, or credit offers.

Protect Financial Accounts

• Review transactions regularly.
• Turn on alerts for withdrawals and purchases.
• Check monthly statements.
• Report an unfamiliar transaction promptly.
• Keep debit and credit cards secure.
• Shield the keypad when entering a PIN.
• Do not write the PIN on the card.
• Use official banking websites and apps.
• Destroy expired cards securely.
• Contact the issuer promptly if a card is lost.

Do not assume a transaction is legitimate because the person contacting you knows your name, bank, or part of your account number.

Be Careful on Social Media

Information shared publicly can reveal answers to security questions or help someone impersonate you.

Avoid publicly posting:

• Your complete birth date
• Home address
• Phone number
• Travel plans
• Identification documents
• Financial information
• Answers commonly used for security questions

Review privacy settings and accept connection requests only from people you recognize.

Watch for Signs of Identity Theft

Possible warning signs include:

• Unfamiliar purchases or withdrawals
• Bills for accounts you did not open
• Missing statements or mail
• Unexpected password-reset messages
• Collection notices for unfamiliar debts
• Credit applications you did not submit
• Changes to account contact information
• Medical bills for care you did not receive
• Tax or benefit problems you cannot explain

Review suspicious activity promptly rather than waiting for the next statement.

If Your Information May Be Exposed

1. Stop communicating with a suspected scammer.
2. Change affected passwords using a secure device.
3. Turn on multifactor authentication.
4. Contact the affected company using verified information.
5. Lock or replace exposed cards.
6. Review recent account activity.
7. Save messages, receipts, and other evidence.
8. Monitor your financial accounts and credit reports.
9. Consider placing a credit freeze.
10. Report identity theft and follow a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.

If money was transferred, contact the bank, card issuer, or payment service immediately. Acting quickly may improve the chance of limiting the loss, although recovery is not guaranteed.

Quick Protection Checklist

• Share sensitive information only when necessary.
• Keep your Social Security card secure.
• Use a unique password for every important account.
• Turn on multifactor authentication.
• Never share a login or verification code.
• Avoid links in unexpected messages.
• Verify requests through an independent contact method.
• Lock and update your devices.
• Secure your home Wi-Fi.
• Collect mail and shred sensitive paperwork.
• Review financial statements and credit reports.
• Act promptly when something appears wrong.

Remember

You do not need to respond immediately when someone requests money or information. Stop, verify the request independently, and ask for help if you are uncertain. A legitimate organization will allow you to take reasonable steps to confirm who you are dealing with.

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