Identity theft: This is what you should do now if you are affected

SECURITY

July 17, 2024 at 18:15

Anyone affected by identity theft should act quickly. We will show you what you need to do and how to protect yourself from the misuse of your data.

1. Your next steps against identity theft

2. Gather information and keep a cool head

3. Prevent digital theft

Your credit limit has been exceeded and the reminders are piling up even though you haven’t ordered anything? You may have been the victim of identity theft. If this is the case, cyber criminals can make purchases at your expense or even damage your reputation. To prevent the damage from becoming too great, you should act immediately.

Identity theft can take various forms. Even taking over your Facebook account or another online account falls under the category of identity theft.

Your next steps against identity theft

The first step is to check the suspicion of data theft. Stay calm, because it could still be a misunderstanding. One tool that will immediately inform you about the misuse of your data is Digital Identity Protection from Bitdefender.

If the evidence of identity theft mounts and the first debt collection companies are knocking on your door or there are other clear signs, you should then file a report with the police. Take action against each individual demand that you receive. The investigating police authority will give you a file number for the report, which you should definitely have to hand for the next step.

If you receive a reminder letter, we recommend that you file an objection within two weeks. We also recommend that you contact the companies and people who are sending you the demands. Inform them that a case of fraud has occurred, citing the police report. You should also inform your bank and Schufa about the data misuse. In the best case scenario, this will help you prevent further financial damage.

Gather information and keep a cool head

As the process continues, it is important for you to collect all the information, because in this case it is pure power and therefore very helpful: Request as much information as possible from the respective companies so that you can collect it and present it to the police. You can also request that the incorrect data be deleted according to the Federal Data Protection Act. But always remember: Don’t panic, even if it is difficult. After all, you are not the one who owes it.

Sometimes it can happen that companies do not want to release information or remove data. In such a case, it is also important to contact a lawyer and get legal advice. Under all circumstances, you should be persistent.

There is no point in feeling ashamed: it is very difficult these days not to leave personal traces online. So you don’t have to feel guilty if your data falls into the wrong hands.

Prevent digital theft

To prevent identity theft or to minimize the damage, you should change the password for your email account as soon as possible and then change the login details for all your other online accounts. To be better protected against data theft in the future, we recommend that you use a different password for each account. With our five tips, you can easily create strong and different passwords.

In most cases, your online data is stolen via phishing emails. In these fake messages, cyber criminals pretend to be companies and ask you for sensitive information. It is therefore particularly important that you recognize these scams immediately. Our phishing guide will help you and explain the scam to you.

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