Paying attention to the extent to which the world has gone “e” everything becomes a top priority when you find out that your identity has been cloned by none other than, Janet Jackson. Exactly, it is a boringly common name, and any number of hackers could assume the name of say, Janet Jackson from Tupelo, Mississippi and make her life a living hell. After all, it is just a name, right?
When electronically attached to another person’s social security number (or other government mandated identification) and financial accounts, an innocent name becomes a completely separate identity. Well, apparently not completely. Thus, at every online turn, I became Janet, Amazon addicted, PayPal accessing, credit card account hacking, Jackson. She bought everything from game software to iPhones to sex toys. Don’t look at me. I’m still in awe of the array of damage she did in some of the most questionable places.
The thing is, when bill collectors called to say that I, Janet, owed them money, I laughed…even scoffed. I was indignant and totally astounded by their naivete. I actually had the nerve to ask one of them, “How did you let her trick you into believing she was being truthful?” Sarcasm is utterly ineffective when the joke is on you.
Little Ms. Nasty was creating quite a stir among creditors who thought she was me. You guessed it. She had stolen my digital identity. Her timing could not have been worse for me, and recovery is ongoing, but I have learned some ways to protect myself because of the nightmare I am currently navigating. I do not deem myself an expert, but my grandmother was right. Experience is one hell of a teacher.
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How It Happened
The self-proclaimed research investigator in me would not allow me to rest until I had an idea of why I was targeted. It felt like I was in that episode of Friends™ where Monica became Monana to sniff out her pseudo self. There were no clues to who my clone actually was, but the sister (or brother) left a digital footprint across my finances that belied my financial situation. They had gone far beyond being rude.
I'm not sure that I can adequately describe the wave of panic that came over me when I realized that I had been thrust into a moment in time, that I always worried about being prepared for. I was never one to be loose with my personal information, especially once I discovered the internet, but I really thought I had a handle on this security thing. After all, I do have Norton Antivirus on my devices. I regularly change my passwords, and I keep all unused accounts cleaned out of my email. I definitely don't open suspicious emails. So what happened?
One very real positive that arose from this very personal violation, I learned some ways to protect myself against future attacks. Apparently, my biggest problem is believing that someone could steal my identity, but they wouldn't.
I practice some rituals every day now. I am constantly checking my bank accounts, and I make sure to completely close the browser every time I access my online accounts. The second that I notice any suspicious activity on my accounts, I shut those babies down immediately, and I cancel any cards associated with it. This time it meant opening two new checking accounts. I began contacting my creditors more regularly, and I began to keep a closer eye on my credit score.
It was around that time that I began to realize that I wasn't getting my money back, so I had to start thinking about Plan C, because Plan B was already in play, and failing miserably. I began to seek out information on how to further keep my information safe.
Things are only beginning to look like they might eventually return to normal, whatever that is. Still, I am hopeful that this will never happen again, but I am working toward making sure all of my information is tucked safely away at all times.
How You Can Safeguard Yourself
My advice to you would be to find the set of steps that works best for your situation. Here is a list of six ways your data can be safer if you look for these warning signs.
1. You are receiving excessive bill collection phone calls, especially on a cell phone. Hackers use information from cell phones to cause you a world of damage when your accounts are wide open. Try not to save all of your information in your phone. I know, but it's a big bummer when they take you for all you have. I'm just saying.
2. Your bank statement appears incorrect. Even a small discrepancy on your bank statement could be a red flag that someone has made you a victim of financial identity theft. Check online accounts regularly. For me, that is every day, several times a day. Contact your financial institution immediately if you suspect foul play, and avoid automatic online payments until you are certain there is not threat.
3. You see unfamiliar and unauthorized activity on your credit card or credit report.
Suspicious activity on your credit card statement is almost always a sign that someone is in your business. Criminals sometimes make small charges to test an account to see if a fraudulent charge will go through. If someone steals your credit card number and makes fraudulent purchases, immediately contact the merchant and card issuer to alert them to the fraudulent charges. Yeah, go ahead and close the account and wait the 7 to 10 business days it takes for your new card to arrive.
4. Your cellphone or another utility loses service.
Losing your cellphone service could mean that someone has used your information to either upgrade a phone or buy a new one altogether, and that will automatically disconnect your service. Don't get stuck with some criminal's bill. Stay alert!
5. You receive calls from debt collectors. If you begin to receive calls from creditors asking about unpaid bills you don’t recognize, especially under names you don't know, you should IMMEDIATELY check your credit report for unfamiliar accounts or charges. If you are a victim, you’ll need to contact the three major credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to dispute the fraudulent activity. You’ll also need to contact the merchant or service provider where the fraudulent account was opened — and close that account immediately. 6. You’re notified that your information was exposed in a data breach. If you’ve been notified that your data has been compromised due to a data breach at one of your merchants, you’ll need to act quickly to help protect your information against it being used to commit fraud. Don't just put it off for another time. The thief isn't.