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It's National Protect Your Identity Week, so each day we'll post an educational article with tips on how to better understand identity theft and how to reduce your risk of it occurring.

Monitoring your accounts and bank statements each month and checking your credit report regularly are the best ways to detect identity theft, but here are a few signs that you're identity has been stolen:

• Accounts you didn't open and unexplained debts on your accounts
• Fraudulent or inaccurate information on your credit reports, includes accounts and personal information
• Failing to receive bills or other mail
• Receiving a credit card you didn't apply for
• Being denied credit or being offered less credit terms
• Getting calls or letters from debt collectors or businesses for merchandise or services you didn't purchase

If you suspect or know that you've become a victim of identity theft, you should defend yourself by:

• Contact Alliant at 800-328-1935 and your other financial institutions, credit card companies and utilities to close affected accounts. Open new accounts using new passwords and PINs. 
• Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report. A call to one of the three major credit bureaus is sufficient because they are required by law to report the fraud alert to the other bureaus. By placing a fraud alert for 90-days, you are entitled to a free copy of your report so review it carefully.

The bureaus are:
Equifax: 800-525-6285, www.equifax.com
Experian: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742), www.experian.com
TransUnion: 800-680-7289, www.transunion.com

• Periodically review your credit report thoroughly for any unauthorized accounts and/or credit inquiries. Close any account that you know, or think, have been opened fraudulently. Speak with someone in the fraud department of each of these companies. 
• File a complaint with the FTC using its online complaint form at www.ftc.gov or by calling 877-438-4338.
• File a police report where the identity theft took place. Remember to obtain a copy of the report should a creditor request proof of the crime. 
• Keep a record with copies of all correspondence and details of your conversations concerning the identity theft.

If you think someone is using your Social Security Number (SSN), contact the Office of the Inspector General Social Security Administration to submit a report by phone to 800-269-0271 or online at oig.ssa.gov.

At Alliant, we're committed to protecting your financial privacy. We use advanced security to safeguard our members' personal information by restricting access and training employees in the importance of confidentiality and member privacy by maintaining physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations and leading industry practices.

Learn more about National Protect Your Identity Week.

You may also be interested in:

• Identify Identity Theft Threats
• Reduce The Risk Of Identity Theft
• Prevent Identity Theft

Alliant Credit Union will never solicit you for personal information, such as account number, credit/debit card numbers, passwords or PINs. Contact us immediately if you think unauthorized access or fraud has occurred in connection with your Alliant Credit Union accounts at 800-328-1935 (24/7). To learn more about Alliant's security and to stay updated on fraud alerts, visit Security.

Sources: FTC.gov, CUNA, SSA.gov