Jenny discovered her soon to be ex-husband Peter was having an affair.  Blinded by rage and wanting revenge, Jenny opened up several credit cards in Peter’s name and went on a spending spree.  She ended up incurring over $30,000 in credit card debt. While this may seem far-fetched, identity theft can happen and divorcing couples, especially those that do not part on good terms, are at risk.

Am I At Risk For Identity Theft?

Identity theft is when someone fraudulently uses your personal information without your knowledge. Your former spouse likely has access to your social security number, birth date, and other personal financial information. Additionally, your personal information appears on documents exchanged during the divorce process making you more vulnerable to identity theft. Your former spouse may be so angry they decide to take revenge by using your name to open new credit cards, take out a loan, rent an apartment, or even purchase a home. If you are concerned that your spouse may steal your identity, there are steps you can take to prevent that from happening.  

Change Passwords

Change your banking passwords and consider changing your account numbers as well. Also change the passwords to your email accounts, cell phone, and tablets.

Watch Your Mail

Be on the lookout for mail from banks or credit card companies. New or unusual mailings can signal opening of new accounts in your name. 

Check Your Credit

Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA), you can monitor your credit by requesting one free report every 12 months from each of the three credit reporting bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.   Congress created a website, www.annualcreditreport.com, where all three reports can be ordered from the same site.  It is up to you whether you order all 3 reports at the same time or spread out your requests over the course of a year (for example, you could order 1 report every four months if you space out your requests amongst the 3 credit companies)

Sign Up For Credit Monitoring

Another option is to sign up for credit monitoring which will alert you if something unusual happens on your credit report.  Fraud alerts will flag your accounts and alert creditors to dig deeper before extending new credit.

Freeze Your Credit

Request a credit freeze to prevent your former spouse from opening new accounts in your name. Although freezing your credit is free, you must contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually.

Divorce is never easy.  When you are fired up, knee-jerk reactions occur. If your spouse feels emotionally wounded and wronged, they may lash out and seek revenge. It is important to remember that identity theft is a felony. Following the steps above may help protect you from becoming a victim.

If you are worried about identity theft, contact me to discuss your options and create a plan for moving forward.