Summer is here, which means travel, events and more fun-in-the sun activity all season long. Unfortunately, this time of year also means people are more vulnerable to identity theft. For example, searches for “avoid ID theft” were 1,600 percent online in 2022 as consumers looked for ways to protect themselves from being violated by fraudsters.
Here a few ways to shield yourself from fraud
In the last few years one in four people contacted the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after claiming they were victims of fraud due to coming in contact with social media scammers. Those losses totaled about $2.7 billion in this time period. It’s typical for fraudsters to use fake social media accounts to gain access to your information by building trust, and eventually requesting funds to be sent directly to them electronically. This is especially true when people assume you are away from home and in transit, making it easier to hack into accounts you probably wouldn’t pay close attention to while splurging on vacay.
Install identity theft apps
There are various ways for scammers to gain access to your information, but fortunately there are many options for protecting yourself as well, all at the touch of a button. Taking the time to install and utilize identity theft apps before embarking on your summer adventure can help add a layer of safeguarding from possible fraud. Here are a few to consider downloading:
Identity Guard – this app is ideal for getting fast alerts if your identity, credit, or SSN are compromised. It also offers 24/7 customer service support, ideal if you are dealing with different timezones while traveling.
Identity Defense – this platform to not only monitor your credit profiles, but to recover any financial losses incurred in an identity theft incident.
Life Lock – LifeLock is perfect for families as it enable customers to add various profiles to their accounts, and be immediately alerted if there is a breach.
Experian – One of the three major credit bureaus, Experian is one of the best sources to track what’s happening with your personal financial information. The platform offers resources like constant credit monitoring, credit freezing, annual credit reports, and ID theft recovery assistance.
Protect your passwords
While searching for the best airfare or the most cushy vacation rental often requires you to enter your personal passwords. While you may think they’re safe, password leaks are becoming increasingly more common and often lead to dire consequences for victims.
Using third party password protections apps is a great way to ensure your important login information stays where it should, and doesn’t land in the wrong hands.
Apps like Roboform, Aura, Nordpass, and Avira are great resources to consider.
Be aware of Smarter, AI-powered scams
AI-powered technology isn’t just being used to streamline admin work. Fraudsters are also increasingly using generative AI to turbocharge their phishing schemes, which bodes badly for unsuspecting victims.
CNBC recently reported that FraudGPT, which is ChatGPT’s dark web equivalent, makes it easier for criminals to create images and videos of profit and loss statements, counterfeit IDs, and deepfakes of your voice and image.
Scary stuff.
Some signs of foul play can be detected if suspicious links or calls come through, and the person on the other end asks for identifying information in full, like your complete address, payment card numbers or even social security numbers.
Overall, it’s great to look forward to summer and all its splendor–-but remain vigilant and safe.
