Cybercrime losses reached nearly $21 billion last year, prompting Kurt Knutsson to warn of increasingly sophisticated AI scams. He joins 'Fox & Friends Weekend' to break down the FBI data, highlighting that investment fraud alone cost victims $8.65 billion. Knutsson hosts a free live class to teach families how to protect their money and secure accounts.
Identity theft can start quietly. You may not see a drained bank account or a maxed-out credit card. The first warning could be a strange letter in the mail, an unfamiliar inquiry on your credit report or a password reset alert you never requested.
Those little clues are easy to brush off, but catching them early can give you more time to protect your money, credit and accounts. One unusual message does not automatically mean someone has stolen your identity, so do not panic. Instead, verify what happened and pay attention to anything else that looks out of place.
Here are nine identity theft warning signs you should never ignore.
CYBERCRIME LOSSES NEAR $21B: 5 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR MONEY
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Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson walks you through five simple ways to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks. You’ll learn how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers. No technical experience is needed.
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Identity theft can begin with subtle warning signs, including unfamiliar credit inquiries, password reset alerts, strange bills or unexpected account changes. (Ute Grabowsky/Photothek via Getty Images)
A company may contact you after discovering that customer information was exposed. The notice could come from a bank, retailer, employer, healthcare provider, insurer, school or another organization.
Read it carefully. Find out what information may have been involved, when the incident occurred and whether the company is offering steps such as password changes or credit monitoring. Save the notice with your other records.
A breach notice shows possible exposure, not confirmed identity theft. Still, it is a good reason to review your accounts and strengthen your security.
Check your credit reports for hard inquiries you do not recognize. A hard inquiry generally appears when a lender reviews your credit after you apply for credit.
Also look for new accounts, unfamiliar addresses, collections accounts or loans you never requested. Identity thieves may use stolen information to apply for credit before you notice anything unusual.
