By Kaylie Wise
In life, things happen. Both good and bad. And sometimes the hardest part is realizing that even when you do everything right, the bad can still find a way in.
We have worked with clients who took all the right steps to protect themselves from hackers and fraud, yet still experienced it. As technology advances, so do the tactics used by bad actors. That is why prevention is so important. But just as important is knowing what to do if something slips through.
Sometimes you can do everything right and something bad can still happen. Other times, it only takes one small misstep. Unfortunately, this happens more often than we would like.
Once fraud has occurred, we cannot go back and change what happened. But the good news is that you can take control of what happens next. Acting quickly can make a meaningful difference in limiting damage and protecting your future.
Today, we want to share the five key steps to take immediately if you notice fraud or suspicious activity on your account.
What to Do if You Experience Fraud
- Report the issue to the affected financial institutions and file a report with local police.
- Submit a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
- Run virus and malware scans on all computers, tablets, and mobile devices.
- Change login credentials for all financial accounts and email accounts.
- Contact all three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert, review your credit, and consider credit monitoring or freezing your credit.
In addition to these steps, please let us know as soon as possible if you experience fraud or suspicious activity. We can help take additional steps to keep your Schwab accounts secure and guide you through the process.
Catching fraud early matters, and being prepared matters. You are not expected to handle these situations alone.