Identity theft is a serious problem for many Floridians. It can wreak havoc on your financial and personal life, and the problems can last for years. What exactly is identity theft in Florida? And how can you protect yourself from identity theft in Florida? 

What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft refers to someone stealing your personal information, like your Social Security number, and using it to create new accounts, apply for loans, make purchases, lease cars or residences, and even obtain employment. 

Victims of identity theft may lose thousands of dollars before ever suspecting a thing, and the damage can be devastating and last for years.

How Can I prevent Identity Theft in Florida?

There are numerous ways in which criminals can invade your life and steal your vital financial information or otherwise profit from your innocent behavior. According to the Florida Office of the Attorney General, there are many of steps that you can take to prevent identity theft. 

• Order and review your credit report from each of the credit reporting agencies at least once each year.
• Don’t carry extra credit cards or other identification cards in your wallet or purse.
• Close all unused credit card and bank accounts.
• Shred pre-approved credit applications, credit card receipts, bills, and any other documents containing financial or personally identifying information. 
• Never provide your Social Security number, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, or other personal information to unsolicited phone calls, emails, or over the Internet. 
• Don’t give out PIN numbers or allow people to observe you entering your PIN number into an ATM or point-of-sale system.
• Memorize your Social Security numbers and passwords, rather than writing them down and carrying them in your wallet or purse. 
• Remove all mail from your mailbox promptly.
• Contact your credit card companies or other service providers if bills don’t arrive as scheduled. 
• Don’t send your personal information via email unless you are using appropriate encryption technology.
• Always keep your computer’s operating system, services, and applications updated to include protection from the latest bugs and vulnerabilities. This applies to your smartphones, tablets, desktop computers, and more. 
• Use strong passwords and change them frequently. 
• Use up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware software. 
• Activate your email’s anti-spam blocking feature.
• Never open links or attachments from unknown email senders.
• Shop only from secure and well-known websites. 

What Are the Signs of Identity Theft?

There are some signs that can tip you off that you’ve been a victim of identity theft. First, be sure to review your credit reports at least once per year. Watch for accounts that you don’t remember opening or an inexplicable drop in your credit score, which would be a sign that something is seriously wrong. 

Other signs of identity theft include:

• Failure to receive important mail like bills or checks
• Receiving bills for items that you didn’t purchase
• Receiving credit card bills for accounts that you did not open
• You have an excellent credit rating but are denied credit
• Noticing unauthorized bank transactions or withdrawals
• Receiving a notice from a business (e.g., a retailer) that your personal information may have been compromised in a large scale breach
• Denial of your electronic tax filing
• Emails indicating unauthorized account access
• Receiving a bill or an explanation of benefits from your health insurance company for care that you didn’t receive

How Can I Protect Myself from Identity Theft in Florida

You need to be constantly vigilant in order to protect yourself from identity theft. One of the most important things you can do is to consistently monitor all of your financial accounts for suspicious or out-of-the-ordinary activity. If you catch it early, you may be able to prevent widespread damage to your credit and devastating financial losses.

• Read your credit card and bank statements carefully and often.
• Know your payment due dates. If a bill doesn't show up when you expect it, look into it.
• Read the statements from your health insurance plan. Make sure the claims paid match the care you received.
• Shred any documents with personal and financial information.
• Review each of your three credit reports at least once a year to check for fraudulent accounts and activity.

How Can an Agent Help Me Protect Myself from Identity Theft?

A Florida independent insurance agent can help you assess your need for identity theft protection or cybercrime insurance from your personal insurance carrier. 

Personal cybercrime insurance is available, and it can protect you from certain types of cyberattacks or if you are a victim of some type of a cybercrime. It may help you pay for the costs of recovering from a cybercrime as well. 

In addition to identity theft, cybercrime insurance in Florida might cover:

• Ransomware attacks and cyber extortion
• Malware attacks
• Phishing scams 
• Attacks that compromise your bank account(s)
• Cyber bullying or Internet stalking

Florida Cybercrime Insurance may be sold as a stand-alone policy, but for individuals it is more often sold as part of a package or an endorsement to a Florida homeowners insurance policy. Not all home insurance policies or companies cover cybercrime. You’ll need to discuss your coverage with an independent insurance agent.