There is so much information out there about identity crimes and people misusing your information that it’s hard to know when you should be concerned about what information of yours is out there and what steps you need to take to ensure your information is safe. Ultimately, each person needs to do what they think is best for themselves and their loved ones. The information below will help you understand what someone can do with your basic identity information and ways to protect your information if you’re worried about someone misusing it.
What is Basic Identity Information?
At the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), we consider the following pieces of personal information “basic identity information”:
- First and last name
- Address
- Email address
- Phone number
- Social media handle
- Date or place of birth
- Mother’s maiden name
What Can an Identity Thief Do With My Basic Identity Information?
The most common things that can happen with your basic identity information are that an identity thief can:
- Pretend they know you or pretend they already have even more information about you because they have one or more pieces of basic information and try to scam you.
- Pretend to be you when contacting a friend, family member, company or agency where you have an account.
- Send fake alerts or invoices with your information.
- Sign up for accounts like an email, phone, or social media account using your basic information.
What if the Identity Thief Only Has One Piece of My Basic Identity Information?
It depends on the information they have. Typically, one piece of information is enough to attempt a scam. One piece of information is also enough for would-be identity thieves to look up public information (or consult already existing databases that have pulled together information on people from many different sources) and tie more publicly available information together.
The more information a bad actor has, the better they can get you to share more information or pretend to be you to access your accounts.
How Do I Protect My Basic Identity Information?
The easiest way is not to share your information unless it is needed.
- Do:
- Be mindful of what you enter in social media profiles, and keep those social media profiles private.
- Keep your birth certificate in a locked, fireproof safe.
- Have your mail delivered to a secure location.
- Do Not:
- Enter basic identity information into or allow apps or online quizzes to access personal information.
- Leave your mail in your car.
- Choose your mother’s maiden name as the answer to a security question that protects your online account(s).
- Share your basic identity information with someone you do not know or have not met unless you know and agree with why they ask for it.
Contact the ITRC
To learn more about basic identity information or if you believe you were the victim of an identity crime, contact the ITRC. You can speak with an expert advisor toll-free by calling 888.400.5530 or visiting our website to live chat during our regular business hours, Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-5 p.m. PST. You can leave a message for an advisor if you contact us outside of our business hours, and we will respond the next business day. Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started.
