Review your credit reports and Social Security statements

Check your credit reports at least annually to ensure no one else is using your identity. Identity thieves will try to use your Social Security number, birthdate, driver's license, passwords and account numbers (including rewards accounts), to open new credit cards or loan accounts, divert communications, change your passwords, and commit fraud for financial gain.

Freeze your credit

Freezing your credit helps to combat identity theft and credit fraud by making it impossible for anyone to take out credit on your behalf — even if they have your full identity. You can unfreeze your credit with the three major credit bureaus when needed.

Use a password manager

A password manager allows you to store your login information for all the websites you use so you can log in to them automatically. These tools encrypt your password database with a master password, so the master password is the only one you have to remember. Popular password managers include:

• 1Password
• KeePass

^{The password managers listed are not affiliated with Empower Retirement, LLC and its affiliates.}

Eliminate the paper trail

Save downloads locally on your computer or on an encrypted storage device. If you do print documents with financial information, be sure to shred them before discarding.

Empower Retirement, LLC and its affiliates are not affiliated with the author or responsible for the third-party content provided.