Fraud Protection

Being in the military doesn't protect you from a very real, very prevalent form of fraud: identity theft. Follow some simple steps to lock up your data, keep tabs on your credit, and protect your greatest asset: your identity.

Thieves use your pre-approved credit-card offers to open accounts in your name, which is the hardest type of ID theft to detect. Opt out of receiving the junk mail by calling 888-567-8688, a service run by the credit bureaus.

Shredding will eliminate your paper trail. Or choose to receive and pay bills online, which ensures that info can't be stolen from your mail. With 24-hour account access, you'll see an unauthorized charge on your card right away.

Identity thieves can get your valuable financial information by hacking into a merchant's system and lifting your debit card pin numbers. Monitor your online bank and brokerage accounts a few times a week, and if you see any suspicious withdrawals or charges, report it to your financial institution.

Yes it takes some time to manage this all within your busy military lifestyle; but the damage done by identity theft can ruin a lifetime of strong credit and smart money handling. It's worth the effort to protect your identity. If your military duties keep you too busy to oversee things personally on a consistent basis, ask your spouse to take control of this essential part of your military money management.