MARAK

From page A9

Follow these suggestions to recognize the warning signs of identity theft:

• Monitor your accounts Check your account activity frequently for anything unusual. View your online accounts to detect fraud earlier and contact your financial institution immediately if you see anything suspicious. Also, keep an eye on accounts that belong to your children, parents or other family members. If you suspect that any of your accounts with the financial institution to be compromised, please notify the bank immediately.

• Use online alert tools and services – Whenever possible sign up for email or text alerts that notify you when certain events occur such as ordering checks or reissuing debit or credit cards. It’s also helpful to set up threshold alerts to notify you of low account balances or unusually high account transactions. Alerts like these can help signal fraudulent spending, so you can put a stop to it quickly.

• Use a credit monitoring service – Consider signing up for a credit monitoring service that notifies you when changes are posted to your credit report. This is one of the fastest ways to find out if someone has opened new accounts in your name.

Need help getting started?

Get the Basics of Aging in Place Kit for $5.99. Email carol@seniorcare.com.

Carol Marak, aging advocate and editor at Seniorcare. com. She’s earned a Certificate in the Fundamentals of Gerontology from UC Davis, School of Gerontology. Aging Matters is a weekly column tackling everyday challenges that our growing elderly population and their loved ones face. It is also published in a variety of syndication partners including newspapers all over the country. Learn More at seniorcare. com.