I gave sensitive info to a sketchy site!

April 13, 2021 9:19 AM

I foolishly went to a website that looked like a government's page and filled out a form to renew my passport. Too late I realized it wasn't a .gov site, and now some faux agency has my SS number, DOB, address, etc. I'm an old woman but am I screwed for the rest of my life? I NEVER fall for that stuff, but I had a serious brain fart this time. Should I assume a new identity?
posted by Smalltown Girl to Grab Bag (4 answers total)

Best answer: A few basic health things you should do:

Go to FTC.gov and follow all of the steps they outline to report a scam and report a potential ID theft, and take all of their advice. They will have good info for you.

Freeze your credit with the three bureaus just in case.

Check your account on ssa.gov and set a calendar reminder to check in periodically to make sure the only income being reported there is your own.

Keep an eye on your mail in case anyone is local and will nab unemployment or credit related mail from your mailbox. Good to keep ahead of anyone trying to do mail scams on you.

If you're employed, inform your employer so they can be on the lookout for any fraudulent unemployment claims that might get filed in your name.

If you provided any payment info, monitor your account transactions daily and report any unexpected activity to your bank immediately.


This is a pain in the ass but it's not the end of the world, and if you do the above you'll stay one step ahead of anyone trying to do bad things to you.
posted by phunniemee at 9:31 AM on April 13, 2021 [4 favorites]

..there are worse circumstances. You're probably fine. Monitor everything and cover basics.
posted by firstdaffodils at 10:10 AM on April 13, 2021 [2 favorites]

If you haven't already filed your taxes this year, do it as soon as you can; the info they have is sufficient for several known tax-return scams. More info, which I hope you don't end up needing.
posted by humbug at 12:37 PM on April 13, 2021 [1 favorite]

What was the site? There are large companies that "expedite" passport services, and they are entirely legitimate.
posted by bdk3clash at 4:50 PM on April 13, 2021 [1 favorite]