One Letter Changed Everything: Protect Your Data Now

In today’s digital world, protecting personal information has never been more important—or more challenging.

Every day, cybercriminals develop new tricks and schemes to steal data, leaving both individuals and organizations vulnerable to costly scams and privacy breaches. Taking just a few simple steps now can make all the difference in keeping sensitive information safe and secure.

A Young Family, Just Like Yours

Imagine a young couple—newly married, juggling deadlines and diaper changes, and convinced that they would never fall for the tricks you see on the news. One evening, the wife spots a charge for $4.85 on their bank statement. It looks like a coffee run she doesn’t remember. “We’ll take care of it tomorrow,” she says. But “tomorrow” becomes weeks. By then, the scammers have drained their savings, maxed out a credit card... and vanished. (Cyber Scam)

Have you ever brushed off a tiny alert, thinking it was just a glitch?

The Amazon/Package Delivery Scam

A woman in her 40s received a call claiming to be from Amazon fraud services about suspicious charges. She was urged to verify her account by providing her bank login and security codes. In minutes, thousands of dollars vanished. Many people fall victim because they do shop online and panic when they hear “fraud.”

Scary? You bet. But even smart, protective families can fall prey when fear—and love—is weaponized.

My Own Wake-Up Mail

I’d just returned from a relaxing summer trip when letters started arriving.  First, a notification saying my personal data had been compromised in a breach at my former employer, GCG Financial / Alera Group.

Then, just days later, another letter—from Allianz—warning that my info, along with many of their clients, had been exposed.  And the week later? A law firm contacted me via LinkedIn about joining a class-action lawsuit.

It was cut-and-dry evidence of a single truth: whether we like to admit it or not, our personal data is online now—and it's vulnerable. (Identity Theft Stats) 

So... What Can You Do?

Checklist - Am I at risk of Having My Identity Stolen?

Let me walk you through seven practical steps to reclaim your sense of security:

1. Lock Your Credit: Freeze your accounts with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to stop thieves from opening new lines of credit in your name. (USA.GOV)
2. Encrypt Your Devices: Tools like Apple’s FileVault make it hard for data to be extracted if your laptop or phone is compromised.
3. Use a Password Manager: Avoid reusing or simplifying passwords—unique, complex passwords are your digital armor.
4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Whether for banking or email, the second layer of security can slow down or deter scammers.
5. Shred Sensitive Mail: Get a cross-cut shredder to destroy bank statements, medical bills, and more—before they become fuel for fraud.
6. Set Up Account Alerts: Whether through your bank, credit card or eMoney, notifications for large purchases or transfers help you catch suspicious activity ASAP.  Review transactions once per month.
7. Use Your Credit Card—not Your Debit Card—for Purchases: Credit cards give you rights and protections that debit cards often don’t—making it easier to dispute charges if something goes sideways.  

8605565.1