Things to do

✅ What You Should Do Today

1. Check your financial accounts — especially if you bank or use services from smaller institutions or credit unions. Look for any suspicious activity or unexpected alerts.

2.  Put a credit freeze on all  credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion)  -  A credit freeze (also called a security freeze) is the single most effective action you can take to prevent someone from opening new credit accounts or loans in your name, which is the most damaging type of identity theft. 

3. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible — for email, bank logins, online shopping, and any sensitive accounts.
   
   

4. Use strong, unique passwords — avoid reusing the same password across multiple sites.  Consider using a password manager.  A password manager will generate unique passwords for each website and remember them for you.
   
   

5. Be extra careful with emails or messages that reference personal info or look “personalized” — if something seems strange, don’t click links or respond; go directly to the official website.
   
   

6. Treat identity-related personal info seriously — even info like date of birth, address, or membership numbers can help scammers. Don’t share such info lightly, and monitor for signs of identity theft (unexpected accounts, credit alerts, calls about unknown transactions).