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Comptroller Susana Mendoza
highlights safety tips for Identity Theft Awareness Week
[January 27, 2026]
This is Identity Theft
Awareness Week and Comptroller Mendoza is offering advice to help
consumers protect themselves.
“One of the most important things to remember is that ID theft can
happen to anyone, even your children” Comptroller Mendoza said.
“That’s why it’s so important to safeguard personal information and
keep an eye on bank accounts and credit cards.”
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal or financial
information without your permission. Con artists use these details
to make purchases with your credit cards, open a credit card in your
name, steal your tax refund, get a job, get medical care or open a
phone or utility account in your name.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 1.1 million
complaints of identity theft in 2024. That’s an increase over the
previous year. The most prevalent type of identity theft reported
was credit card fraud. Another top problem is fraudsters using
someone else’s identity to secure a loan or lease. The FTC says more
than 43,000 of the country’s ID theft reports in 2024 were from
Illinois.
How do you know if you’re a
victim of ID theft?
Purchases that you didn’t make show up on your debit or credit card
statements.
You receive bills for items you didn’t buy.
You are denied a loan because your credit is unexpectedly bad.
You find accounts in your name that you didn’t open.
Medical providers bill you for services you didn’t use.
The IRS notifies you that more than one tax return was filed in your
name.
How can you protect yourself from identity theft?
Keep a close eye on bank accounts and credit card activity. You
should regularly check these to make sure there aren’t any
suspicious withdrawals or purchases.
Use strong passwords and multifactor authentication if possible. It
may be a pain, but don’t make it easy for thieves to figure out your
password.
With that in mind, try to avoid sharing full birth dates, email
addresses and family member’s full names on social media.
Carry only the ID and credit cards you need and don’t carry your
Social Security card in your wallet.
Shred documents with personal information before discarding.
Be wary of a company or person contacting you via email, phone or
text and asking for personal information unless you frequently do
business with them. They may play on your sympathies or offer deals
too good to be true to try and get you to divulge bank account
numbers or other information.
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It’s important to check your credit history at least once a year
through either Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. Each credit
bureau offers one free credit report annually.
Also make sure you
protect your children’s personal information, including their Social
Security number. The FTC says if a child is under age 16, parents
may want to consider requesting a free credit freeze to make it
harder for someone to open new accounts in the minor’s name. Child
ID theft is dangerous because it may not be detected until the child
is older and applies for a student loan or their first credit card.
The three credit bureaus can set up a credit freeze, which restricts
access to your credit report. That means you, or anyone else, won’t
be able to open a new line of credit unless the freeze is lifted.
You can request a credit freeze even if you haven’t been a victim of
identity theft.
If you suspect fraud, you can also request a fraud alert be placed
on your credit report. This will make it harder for someone to open
a new account in your name. Both options are free and can be done
simultaneously.
Contact information below:
Equifax: www.Equifax.com,
800-525-6285
Experian: www.Experian.com,
888-397-3742
TransUnion: www.TransUnion.com,
800-680-7289
What should you do if you think your identity has been stolen?
Call the company or bank where you suspect the fraud occurred.
Call the Illinois Attorney General’s
Identity Theft Hotline which guides victims through the recovery
process. The number is: 1-866-999-5630.
Or you can report identity theft to the
FTC, which will also
help create a recovery plan.
Place a fraud alert on your credit reports.
Consider filing a police report with your local department.
“Identity theft isn’t just an inconvenience, it can potentially
cause very serious problems,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “This can
include ruining your credit or a thief giving YOUR name to the
police if they are arrested.”
The Illinois Office of Comptroller offers
Smart Consumer workshops covering identity theft, fraud and more
to interested communities and organizations.
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