Identity theft is no longer just about stolen credit cards. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity thieves now target everything from unemployment benefits to medical records. Knowing the most common types of identity theft can help you spot danger before it hits.

Types of Identity Theft:

1. Financial Identity Theft – Involves stolen credit cards, loans, or bank access. Report issues to your bank and credit bureaus immediately.

2. Medical Identity Theft – A thief uses your personal data to get treatment, prescriptions, or insurance payouts.

3. Tax Identity Theft – A fake tax return is filed in your name to steal your refund. File early and check your IRS records via IRS.gov.

4. Synthetic Identity Theft – Fraudsters combine real and fake data to create new identities. These are often used to build up fake credit profiles.

5. Child Identity Theft – Children’s clean credit records are attractive targets. Freeze your child’s credit through the three major credit bureaus.
   
   

How SurfSafe Can Help:
SurfSafe protects users from phishing sites and malicious links — two of the most common gateways for identity theft. With real-time browser analysis and intelligent link scanning, SurfSafe warns you before you click on dangerous content, helping you avoid fake login pages and scams that steal sensitive personal information.