Learn How to Protect Your Identity During Identity Theft Awareness Week
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: January 23, 2025
Has someone misused your Social Security number or other personal information to open new credit cards or utility accounts? Steal your tax refund? File fake health insurance claims? Pretend to be you when stopped by law enforcement?
These are all examples of identity theft.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 1 million reports of identity theft in 2023, and 2024 total numbers will likely be even higher.
ID theft can happen to anyone, but you can take simple steps to lessen the chance it will happen to you.
During Identity Theft Awareness Week (Jan. 27-31), you can learn how you can protect yourself from becoming a victim. We are partnering with the FTC for 2 webinars on Thursday, Jan. 30, to help you better understand ID theft, avoid it, and, if necessary, recover from it.
The hour-long webinars are free. Click here to join the noon session or the 2 p.m. session in Spanish. Registration is not required.
We will join representatives from the FTC to discuss the following:
- What is identity theft?
- How does it happen?
- How can you spot it?
- What should you do if your identity is stolen?
You’ll also hear about free tools and resources to help you recover from identity theft. Visit IdentityTheft.gov to be guided through recovery steps for more than 30 types of ID theft.
You may also want to read our publication, Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number.
The FTC and its partners are hosting other events throughout the week with targeted information for service members, older adults, young adults, and business owners. Check out the schedule at Identity Theft Awareness Week.
Please share this webinar invitation with friends, family members, and others so they can learn about preventing and recovering from identity theft – and post it on social media.
We also encourage you to join us for our national “Slam the Scam” Day on Thursday, March 6. The annual event is put on by our Office of the Inspector General to raise awareness about scams. It’s part of National Consumer Protection Week, March 2-8. Visit our website in the coming weeks for a schedule of activities.
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Patricia V.
Hello:
I want to bring up a concern that Social Security benefits are draining the treasury since more people are living longer. Less employees are paying into the system to support current retirees. I learned that benefits may become cut by 23% by the year 2034, which may include myself as a retiree. It is political speculation here.
Also my idea is to have those individuals be phased out of Social Security benefits, starting at $400,000 annually. The wealthy are already paying more to Medicare Part B at income levels. What do you think about having the rich take less or no benefits, leaving benefits to those who really need it to stay out of poverty?
Thank you.
Patricia V.
Kenny M.
I can’t get help filing an affidavit being disabled in Tallahassee Florida. I have posted on the Internet. I’ve had people call from West Virginia to try to help me. I’ve called the sheriffs office. I’ve called attorneys offices, the Social Security administration and my care provider none of which has helped so what can I do?
Linda T.
Is our info safe from Elon Musk & his henchmen?
Mike V.
AI Overview
In 2024, a data breach at National Public Data exposed millions of Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal information. The breach occurred between April and summer 2024. (During the Biden Administration)
The breach exposed up to 2.9 billion records
The data included people from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada
What was breached?
Social Security numbers
Full names
Phone numbers
Current and past addresses
Dates of birth
Names of parents and siblings
How many records were breached?
What can I do?
Freeze your credit
Request to Block Electronic Access to your Social Security number
Change your passwords
Use a password manager
Avoid using personal information like your birthday or pet’s name in your passwords
What is being done?
The Biden-Harris administration is investigating the breach and how to protect Americans
The administration is working to recover the data
What is the risk?
The stolen data could be used for identity theft and other exploitation
The breach could put every American at risk of having their identity stolen
quacy m.
Americans need to taxes every item only a single penny to deport all immigrants. only see the penny taxes as to deport immigrants