Tips: What to do if your identity has been compromised?

You have the ability to check if your email or phone is in a data breach by using Have I Been Pwned? Visit Pwned FAQ for more information.

Steps to take if and when your identity, accounts, devices or information is compromised.

Stolen Social Security Number

Report the SSN theft at IdentityTheft.gov and file a local police report.
Place a credit freeze for free at all major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion and Innovis) to prevent malicious users from establishing new lines of credit with your identity.
Continue to monitor your existing lines of credit for signs of account fraud.
Keep a record of and close any fraudulent account opened using your SSN immediately. Then report it to the fraud department of the credit card company or bank involved, as well as the major credit bureaus.

Note, Villanova University employees may enroll in the Identity Theft protection. This is a full service plan that will not only prevent but also handle all aspects of restoring and recovering the credit and identity of a victim of ID Theft. Employees receive a group discount and payments can be taken through payroll deductions. More information about this program and the cost for enrollment is available at Villanova University's Additional Benefits page.

Hacked Email Account

Use a reputable antivirus product to remove any malware infection on your devices.
Ensure you also have the latest versions of your browser, operating system, and software on your devices.
Change your email password to something lengthy and unique. Consider using a password manager to create and securely store your passwords.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) as another layer of protection to help confirm your identity and protect access to your accounts. Examples of MFA options include security keys, push notifications, biometrics, and authenticator apps.
Look for unusual activity with your social media accounts and check your email filters for any changes to your account (such as emails being set to auto-forward).
Make sure any other online accounts that use your hacked email address as the account’s registration address haven’t been impacted.
Alert your contacts about the attack. Remind them to ignore suspicious emails and avoid clicking on links in emails.
Review any specific guidance given by your email provider about restoring your account.

The Report Phish button makes it easy for you to report any suspicious emails sent to your inbox.

Fraud with Credit Cards

Contact your credit card provider immediately to alert them to this credit card theft. In most cases, your provider will detect any fraud before you do and will reject the charges and send you a new card.
Make sure to update any automatic payments connected with your old credit card.
Consider receiving security credit fraud alerts that warn you when logins from unrecognized devices to your accounts occur, or if your password changes.

Phone Number Hijacked

Contact your mobile carrier and financial institutions immediately to let them know that a porting attack has occurred.
Help protect yourself from future attacks by requesting your carrier add additional security measures whenever a porting change has been requested. Many carriers will let you set a passcode for your account so that anyone who calls to make changes will have to provide the passcode.

For more information visit villanova.edu/ITSecurity

Questions or concerns? Contact the UNIT Help Desk at support@villanova.edu

#BeCyberSmar

Tips: What to do if your identity has been compromised?

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You can control how you react if your identity, accounts, devices or information is compromised. Responding quickly and comprehensively limits the damage from being hacked, facilitates a rapid recovery and provides you with some needed peace of mind.

Steps to take if and when your identity, accounts, devices or information is compromised.

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