{"id":130012,"date":"2021-02-27T12:00:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-27T20:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=130012"},"modified":"2025-06-09T01:15:29","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T08:15:29","slug":"how-to-check-if-someone-is-using-your-identity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/how-to-check-if-someone-is-using-your-identity\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Check if Someone is Using Your Identity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A good time to check if someone is using your identity is before it\u00a0even\u00a0happens.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One of\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/identity-theft.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">identity theft\u2019s<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0several\u00a0downsides\u00a0is\u00a0how people discover they\u2019ve become a victim\u00a0in the first place\u2014by surprise.\u00a0They go to rent an apartment, open a line of credit, or apply for financing, only to discover that their\u00a0finances\u00a0or reputation has taken a hit\u00a0because of\u00a0identity thief.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And those hits add up, particularly when you look at the dollars involved.\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.experian.com\/blogs\/ask-experian\/how-do-you-check-for-identity-theft\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)\u00a0reported\u00a0$3.3 billion in financial losses from\u00a04.7 million reported cases\u00a0of fraud<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, a 45% increase over the year prior.\u00a0Of those reports, identity theft was the leading fraud category, accounting for 29% of fraud incidents.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What\u2019s at risk? <\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Plenty. Depending on the type and amount of information an identity thief gets\u00a0their hands on, they can harm your finances and reputation in several ways, including:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Open utility accounts in\u00a0your\u00a0name<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Use your credit cards for purchases<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hijack your email<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Claim healthcare expenses under your insurance<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Steal your tax refund<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Even use your identity when\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0arrested for a crime<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Rather than ending\u00a0up with a rude and potentially costly surprise\u00a0of your own, you can get ahead of thieves by checking to see if someone is using your identity\u00a0before it\u2019s a problem\u00a0or before it really takes\u00a0root.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Neiman Marcus breach: now is a good time to check your identity<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.csoonline.com\/article\/2130877\/the-biggest-data-breaches-of-the-21st-century.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Major data breaches that expose personal information seem to hit the headlines with some regularity,<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0not to mention the many, many more that don\u2019t get national or international press coverage.\u00a0Most recently we have the Neiman Marcus breach,\u00a0where\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.neimanmarcusgroup.com\/2021-09-30-Neiman-Marcus-Confirms-Unauthorized-Access-to-Customer-Online-Accounts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">this major retailer alerted 4.6 million customers\u00a0that \u201can unauthorized party obtained personal information associated with certain Neiman Marcus customers&#8217; online accounts.\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And as it is with many such breaches, it took quite some time before the theft of information was discovered. Per Neiman Marcus, it\u2019s believed that the breach occurred in May 2020\u00a0and only discovered in September of 2021.\u00a0Potentially compromised information included:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Names\u00a0and\u00a0contact information<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Payment card numbers and expiration dates (without\u00a0CVV numbers)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Neiman Marcus virtual gift card numbers (without PINs)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Usernames, passwords, and security questions\u00a0of Neiman Marcus online accounts<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Whether or not you have reason to suspect that your information got caught up in this recent large-scale breach, it serves as a good reminder that any time is the right time to check up on your identity. Acting now can save headaches, potentially big headaches, later.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How you can protect yourself from identity theft right now<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Quite a bit of identity theft prevention begins with taking stock of the accounts and services you have in your name. This ranges anywhere from bank accounts to public utilities\u00a0and from credit cards to loans, all of which contain varying degrees of personal information about you. With a sense of where your personal identity is being used, you can\u00a0better\u00a0look for instances where it\u2019s being\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">misused<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ways you can spot for possible identity theft include:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Track your bills and when they are due.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If you stop receiving a bill that normally comes to you, such as a utility bill or for a department store credit card, that could be a sign that a thief has changed the mailing address and has potentially hijacked your identity.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Check your statements and accounts for irregularities.<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This is rather straightforward, yet it reminds us how important it is to look at our statements closely. Charges that you didn\u2019t ring up or that seem slightly higher than normal are a surefire sign that you should follow up with the bank or company involved and let them know of possible fraud.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Review your credit reports.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumer.ftc.gov\/articles\/0155-free-credit-reports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">In the U.S., you have annual access to free credit reports from the major credit reporting agencies<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Not only will this give you a sense of your credit score, but it will also show the credit that\u2019s open in your name, along with addresses associated with your\u00a0identity. Spotting an account that you haven\u2019t signed up for or seeing an address of a\u00a0residence\u00a0that you\u2019re not renting are other\u00a0common\u00a0signs that your identity may have been compromised.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sign up for credit monitoring services.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With the\u00a0number\u00a0of accounts\u00a0many of us\u00a0have these days, a credit monitoring service can help you\u00a0stay on top\u00a0of what\u2019s happening in your name. Often offered through banks, credit unions, and even insurance providers, credit monitoring can alert you\u00a0in several instances, including:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When a company checks your credit history.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If new loan or credit card appears in your name.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Changes in your address or phone number.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Overall, credit monitoring can\u00a0act as another set of eyes for you\u00a0and spot potential identity issues. Different services provide different levels of monitoring, so consider reviewing a few options to find the one that works best for you.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Consider an identity protection service. <\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One like\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/identity-theft\/protection.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">our own Identity Protection Service will monitor several types of personally identifiable information,\u00a0alert you of\u00a0potentially\u00a0stolen personal info, and offer guided help to neutralize the threat<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2014in addition to offering several preventative steps\u00a0to help keep theft from happening in the first place.\u00a0With this set\u00a0up on your computers and smartphone\u00a0you can stay in the know and address issues immediately.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Five extra steps for preventing identity theft<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Along with keeping an eye on what\u2019s happening with your identity online and elsewhere, there are a few more things you can do to make it tougher for thieves to steal your identity.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">1) Protect your digital files and devices.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Given all the banking and shopping we do on our computers and phones,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/antivirus\/mcafee-total-protection.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">installing and using comprehensive online protection software is a must these days.<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0It puts several layers of security in place, such as creating\u00a0complex passwords automatically,\u00a0shielding credit card info from prying eyes, and protecting your privacy and data online by\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/what-is-a-vpn-and-can-it-hide-my-ip-address\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">connecting with a VPN<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0In short, online protection software acts as a solid first line of defense.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">2) Protect your accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As mentioned above, comprehensive online protection software often includes a password manager that can generate strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts and remember them for you. It\u2019s extra protection that\u00a0makes life a lot easier for you\u00a0by managing\u00a0all the accounts you\u2019re\u00a0juggling. Also,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/authentication-methods-101\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">use MFA (multi-factor authentication) on the accounts that\u00a0give you the option<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which makes it harder for a thief to crack your accounts with a password alone.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">3) Shred sensitive documents when you\u2019re done with them.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sensitive documents come in all forms. Top-of-the-line examples include things like tax returns, bank statements, and financial records.\u00a0Yet there are also things like your phone and utility bills, statements from your doctor\u2019s office, and offers that come to you via mail.\u00a0Together, these things\u00a0can contain personal information such as account numbers, your full\u00a0Social Security Number, the last four digits of your Social Security Number (which can still be useful to thieves), and other information that\u00a0may uniquely identify you.\u00a0You\u2019ll want to dispose of sensitive documents like these so that they can\u2019t be harvested by hackers.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For physical documents, consider the low-cost investment of a paper shredder\u00a0to help ensure they don\u2019t fall into the wrong hands when you are done with them.\u00a0(And let\u2019s face it, they\u2019re fun to use!)\u00a0For digital documents,\u00a0simply deleting a file is not enough &#8211;\u00a0online protection software\u00a0is a great\u00a0resource\u00a0that\u00a0often includes a digital document shredder, designed\u00a0to render the data practically unusable\u00a0when you\u2019re ready to trash the file.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">4) Keep your Social Security Number to yourself.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Your Social Security Number is one of the most prized possessions a thief can run away with because it is so closely associated with you and things like your tax returns, employment, and so on. Keep it stored in a safe location rather than on your person or in your wallet. Likewise, be careful\u00a0about giving out your\u00a0SSN. While organizations like the IRS, your bank, and employer require it, there are other organizations who do not\u2014but may ask for it anyway.\u00a0(Doctor\u2019s offices are a prime example.)\u00a0If you get such a request, ask them what they intend to use it for and then ask if another form of identification will work instead.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">5) Keep an eye out for phishing attacks.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Phishing attacks\u00a0are\u00a0one of the primary ways identity thieves steal personal information. Whether they come via\u00a0a direct message,\u00a0on\u00a0social\u00a0media,\u00a0or\u00a0through\u00a0email, text,\u00a0or\u00a0phone\u00a0calls, thieves use them to harvest your personal info by posing as a legitimate organization\u2014<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/70000-phishing-emails-sent-impersonating-the-irs-how-to-stay-protected\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">such as in this recent IRS phishing scam<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Phishing is a topic all unto itself, and you can check out this quick read to see how you can\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/protect-yourself-against-phishing-scams-with-these-security-tips\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">spot phishing scams and protect yourself from them<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">No surprises<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Like any criminal, identity thieves\u00a0do their dirtiest\u00a0work in the shadows\u2014quietly stealing money under your nose, or worse, as we outlined above.\u00a0By shining a light on your identity and keeping regular track of what\u2019s happening with it, you can spot unusual activity right away. Even the small stuff is important. A co-worker of mine once saw an incorrect address listed on his credit report. Turned out, that address was used to rack up several large charges at a retailer, which he was able to fix with the aid of the credit reporting agency and the retailer in question.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">No doubt about it. Identity theft is indeed on the rise, and your best bet to avoid such a nasty surprise is to\u00a0keep an eye on your digital identity\u00a0the same way you\u00a0keep an eye on your actual wallet.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A good time to check if someone is using your identity is before it\u00a0even\u00a0happens.\u00a0 One of\u00a0identity theft\u2019s\u00a0several\u00a0downsides\u00a0is\u00a0how people discover they\u2019ve&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":674,"featured_media":160474,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10670,13],"tags":[10726,10732,142,10729],"coauthors":[3973],"class_list":["post-130012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","category-privacy-identity-protection","tag-how-to-check-if-someone-is-using-your-identity","tag-how-to-protect-yourself-from-identity-theft","tag-tag-identity-theft","tag-what-can-someone-do-with-your-social-security-number"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Check if Someone is Using Your Identity | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A good time to check if someone is using your identity is before 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