The Ultimate Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft

Jan 31, 2025 | Featured, Fraud Friday, General News

In honor of Identity Theft Awareness Week this week, your friends here at Guthrie County State Bank have put together a guide on best practices for protecting yourself from identity theft.

Identity theft is when someone steals your personal information, such as your name, Social Security number, or bank account details — the information one uses to verify their identity. As our identities have become increasingly interwoven with our digital footprints, there is simply more personal data stored online that could be potentially accessed by cyber criminals.

Now more than ever, it’s crucial to know how to protect yourself from identity theft. Our guide covers passwords, phishing, credit monitoring, and a few bonus tips for preventing identity theft.

Password Security

  • Use strong, unique passwords for each of your online accounts. A strong password should be at least 12 characters and include a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • Change your passwords regularly. It’s a good idea to change your passwords every few months, or even more often for sensitive accounts like your bank accounts and email accounts.
  • Use a password manager. A trusted password manager can help you generate strong passwords and store them securely.
  • Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to enter a code from your phone or other device in addition to entering your password.

Phishing Scams

  • Be wary of phishing emails, texts, and calls. Phishing scams are designed to trick you into giving up your personal information. Be suspicious of any unsolicited messages that ask for personal information or that contain links or attachments.
  • Don’t click on links or attachments from people you don’t know. Tip: If you’re not sure if an email link is legitimate, hover your mouse over the link to see where it goes.
  • Avoid oversharing online. Don’t share your Social Security number, date of birth, or other sensitive information on social media or public websites.

Credit Monitoring

  • Monitor your bank accounts and credit card statements regularly. Regular check-ins will help you detect suspicious activity as soon as possible.
  • Check your credit report at least once a year. You can get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
  • Consider using a credit monitoring service. These services can alert you to suspicious activity on your credit report that could lead to potential identity theft.

Additional Tips

  • Shred sensitive documents before you throw them away.
  • Keep your software up to date. This includes your operating system, web browser, and antivirus software.
  • Stay informed about recent data breaches and act quickly if you’ve been affected.
  • Be careful about using public Wi-Fi as they are often not secure.
  • Educate yourself and your family about identity theft. The more you know about identity theft, the better you can protect yourself — reading this guide is a terrific start!

By following this guide, you can reduce your risk of falling victim to identity theft. We hope this guide has been helpful! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at GCSB. Spend some more time during this Identity Theft Awareness Week to act on these tips and better protect yourself from identity theft.

If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) immediately. You can file a report online at IdentityTheft.gov or by calling 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338).