As someone who spent their entire corporate career as technology architect designing data systems for financial markets, putting guardrails in place to protect your identity and your personal data is one of the most important things you can do to guard against a data breach.
In 2024 it was revealed in a lawsuit that in one of the largest data breaches in history occurred.
The data breach included 2.9 billion records of highly sensitive data, including names, address histories, relatives and Social Security numbers dating back at three decades stolen from National Public Data, a data broker that performed employee background checks.
Their primary service was collecting information from public data sources, including criminal records, addresses, and employment history, and offering that data for sale.
You can read National Public Data’s respond to the data breach HERE. The company has since closed.
Each time a data breach occurs, some or all of your personal data stored by the website that got “hacked” gets leaked on to the dark web where nefarious criminals are able purchase it and use it to try to impersonate you.
HERE ARE 6 THINGS YOU CAN IMPLEMENT TODAY TO PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY & (YOUR MONEY)
1. ROUNTINLY MONITOR YOUR CREDIT TO PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY
Regularly monitoring your credit is a proactive way to detect identity theft early. You can access your credit report for free by going to AnnualCreditReport.com
By keeping an eye on your credit report, you can quickly spot unauthorized activities, such as new accounts or loans opened in your name, allowing you to address them before they cause significant harm.
Credit cards offer through Chase and American Express come with free access to your credit score and credit monitoring services that provide real-time alerts for changes to your credit file, such as hard inquiries or new account openings, enabling you to respond promptly to potential identity theft.
While credit monitoring doesn’t prevent identity theft, it serves as an early warning system, allowing you to take swift action to mitigate potential damage.
2. USE A PASSWORD MANAGER
Using a password manager is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your identity online.
A password manager generates strong, unique passwords like “jT!9gVb7@zLxQ!$3” and stores them securely in one place, so you don’t have to remember them. Think mental freedom.
You only need to remember one master password, and it securely stores and auto-fills the rest making logins easier and reducing the risk of phishing.
Plus, many password managers alert you if your info shows up in a data breach, so you can take action fast.
It’s a simple tool that adds a powerful layer of protection to your digital life.
My preferred password manager is Dashlane. Other popular password managers include 1Password and LastPass.
To get 6 months of Dashlane for FREE click HERE.
3. FREEZE YOUR CREDIT ON ALL 3 CREDIT BUREAUS
Freezing your credit is a another proactive step you can take to protect your identity.
Along with many other pieces of information, potential lenders, and creditors – including credit card companies, mortgage lenders, auto lenders and landlords – may use your credit scores and credit history to help make lending decisions.
Freezing your credit prevents anyone from accessing your credit report, making it more difficult for identity thieves to open accounts in your name. Its free to do but keep in mind you will need to unfreeze it if you need to make a purchase that requires a credit check.
Freeze Your Credit on Experian
Freeze Your Credit on TransUnion Here
4. CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT/LOGIN ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION WEBSITE (USA ONLY)
Having a social security number isn’t enough. If someone were to get ahold of your social security number and you didn’t have an account/login already created on the social security administration website, they could create an account and claim your hard earned benefits as you.
When setting up your account, be sure to choose two-factor authentication for security purposes (by email or text) and use your password manager to generate a STRONG, UNIQUE password for this site.
Create Your Social Security Login Here
Once you’ve created your account/login on the social security administration website you will be able to:
- Verify your earnings record
- See how much you have paid into Social Security
- Get an estimate of your future Social Security retirement payments
- Find out how much you will qualify for if you become disabled
- Determine how much your family members will receive if you die
- Change your address or direct deposit information
- Request replacement Social Security or Medicare cards
5. DELETE YOUR PERSONAL DATA OFF THE DARK WEB
Using a dark web data monitoring service like DeleteMe or Incogni helps protect your identity by scanning the internet and data broker sites for your personal information and alerting you if it’s exposed.
Dark web data monitoring services actively work to remove your personal info from people search sites and data brokers, which are often the sources scammers and identity thieves use to piece together your profile.
Fewer exposed personal data breadcrumbs = less vulnerability.
With regular reports and ongoing monitoring, you get peace of mind knowing your information is being tracked and cleaned up behind the scenes.
My preferred dark web data monitoring service is DeleteMe. You can see my DeleteMe dashboard below.
To get 20% off DeleteMe go HERE.
6. USE A CREDIT CARD INSTEAD OF A DEBIT CARD
Using a credit card instead of a debit card offers stronger protection when it comes to fraud and protecting your money.
If someone makes unauthorized charges on your credit card, federal law limits your liability to $50 (most credit card issuers waive this amount) meaning you often pay nothing. Your actual funds remain untouched, and you can dispute the charges before any payment is due.
With a debit card, on the other hand, the money is taken directly from your bank account, and it can take days or weeks to get it back if fraud occurs. Plus, if you don’t report the theft quickly, you could be on the hook for more of the loss.
Think of it this way, a credit card gives you a buffer between scammers and your bank account, making it the safer choice for most purchases.
Stay safe out there in the digital world!