Identity Theft and Older Adults

How Thieves Get Personal Information

Data breaches, stolen mail, phishing emails and texts, and “shoulder surfing” at ATMs all feed identity theft. Increasingly, thieves also exploit information shared willingly on social media — birthdates, pet names, hometowns — to answer security questions. Medical offices and nursing facilities are also targets, since health records contain everything needed for full identity theft.

The Recovery Process, Step by Step

1. Start at IdentityTheft.gov

The FTC’s site walks you through a personalized recovery plan based on what happened — existing-account fraud, new-account fraud, tax fraud, or medical identity theft. It generates an Identity Theft Report and pre-filled dispute letters, which carry legal weight with creditors.

2. Place a Fraud Alert or Credit Freeze

Contact one of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) to place a one-year fraud alert — free, and the bureau must notify the other two. For stronger protection, place a credit freeze with each bureau individually. Freezes are the single most effective step against new-account fraud.

3. Review Everything

Go through bank and credit card statements line by line for at least the past few months. Dispute unfamiliar charges in writing. Check your credit reports from all three bureaus. If tax fraud is involved, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit.

4. File a Police Report

Bring your FTC Identity Theft Report. Some creditors require a police report before closing fraudulent accounts, and it creates an official record if the case escalates.

5. Fix Medical Records

If medical identity theft occurred, contact each provider’s billing department and privacy officer, explain the situation, and request corrections to your records. This step is often overlooked and genuinely matters for future care.

Ongoing Protection

• Freeze credit by default. Keep freezes in place and lift them only when applying for new credit.
• Use the IRS Identity Protection PIN. This free six-digit number prevents fraudulent tax returns filed in your name.
• Shred sensitive mail and consider opting out of pre-approved credit offers.
• Help an older relative by offering to walk through these steps together — identity theft recovery is paperwork-heavy, and company helps.