News of this year’s Equifax breach, fraudulent I.R.S. tax returns and hacks into retail giants shows the ever-growing need to protect a person’s identity.
“Identity theft is, unfortunately, not 100 percent preventable, so it’s important to know what resources are available if and when it does happen—and the best ways to protect yourself using measures within your control,” says Derek Brainard, financial literacy coordinator in the Office of Financial Literacy.
In his Syracuse Smart Money presentations and in one-on-one financial counseling sessions with students, Brainard discusses the important ways to secure their personal information as part of their overall financial planning. The Office of Financial Literacy’s Smart Money coaching staff also shares the information with students during one-on-one sessions.
Brainard offers some tips on prevention and what to do if your identity is stolen.
