{"id":2504,"date":"2018-05-04T11:45:13","date_gmt":"2018-05-04T15:45:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/patientprivacy\/?page_id=2504"},"modified":"2020-04-15T11:01:52","modified_gmt":"2020-04-15T15:01:52","slug":"identity-theft","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/patientprivacy\/privacy-topics\/identity-theft\/","title":{"rendered":"Identity Theft"},"content":{"rendered":"

Identity theft occurs when someone steals or uses your personal information without your permission. Identity thieves use many methods to obtain your personal information, including pretending to work for legitimate companies, such as places where you do personal banking, shopping, or receive health care services. The information can then be used to open credit cards, file tax returns in your name, to obtain medical treatment and for many other purposes. It is important to stay alert to potential identity theft scams and protect yourself against any attempts to illegally obtain and use your personal information.<\/p>\n

Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft<\/h4>\n

You can protect yourself against identity theft through a combination of awareness of potential threats and some commonly used best practices to minimize exposure of your personal information. It is also a good idea to check your credit report, which can be obtained annually and for free from each of the three major credit bureaus.<\/p>\n

Protect Your Personal Information<\/h4>\n