Information theft is on the rise. People are particularly vulnerable after natural disasters
Information theft is on the rise
NEW YORK — Information theft is on the rise. Over 1.1 million people in the U.S. alone reported the crime to the Federal Trade Commission in 2022. When a thief opens accounts in your name or otherwise uses your data, you might feel powerless. But there are steps you can take to prevent the worst outcomes.
Colleen Tressler, a senior project manager for the FTC, has tracked consumer issues including identity theft for more than three decades. She said frauds and scams often emerge during specific emergencies such as the COVID pandemic, and in the wake of climate-related catastrophes.
“They’re imposters, so they’re going after your personal information and your financial information however they can," she said. “They'll relate it to anything in their deck of cards — to COVID, to the weather.”
People in a heightened emotional state in the wake of a wildfire or hurricane should be extra careful of impersonators asking for identifying details, Tressler said. Scammers might pretend to be from the utility company or the Federal Emergency Management Agency and ask to “verify information.”
“If someone uses that phrase, ask them why they need that, and contact the company or agency directly," Tressler said. «They should have that information.”
In the fall, when student loan payments resume, Tressler cautions that borrowers should be wary of anyone claiming to be a debt servicer and asking for private information. For example, your actual student loan servicer will never ask for your Federal Student Aid ID or your password, and neither will the Department of Education. You also never have to pay a third party to contact your servicer. The Federal Student Aid site provides more guidance about avoiding
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