Is Someone Stealing Your Money? Here’s a Simple (and Free) Way to Check

It seems like each day there’s a new massive data breach. You hear about gas station ATM skimmers on the local news. You scroll through a friend’s Tweet-rant about how her identity was stolen, and someone wracked up $1,239 in charges at Chick-fil-A.

It’s a little scary, right? Well, your wary feelings are valid.

In 2017, there were 371,061 reports of identity theft in the U.S., according to the Federal Trade Commission.

So, yes, identity theft could happen to you. But there’s a simple, free way to keep tabs on your identity to see if someone has stolen it. (You don’t want to foot the bill for all those chicken sandwiches, right?)

Here’s How to Find Out if Your Identity Has Been Stolen

Not sure how to know if your identity has been stolen? Don’t wait until it’s too late — until your banking statements are stacked with frivolous charges.

Instead, take 90 seconds to sign up for Credit Sesame.

Credit Sesame helps you avoid identity theft by keeping a watchful eye on your finances.

Its free identity theft protection will alert you to important changes in your credit report (like someone trying to apply for credit in your name), and it offers $50,000 in identity theft insurance.

Of course, you’ll want to keep tabs on your checking, savings and credit card accounts, but Credit Sesame will help you tap in behind the scenes.

Now you can sit back and breathe a little easier knowing your identity — and money — are safe.

Carson Kohler ([email protected]) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.