Saturday, January 28, 2023, is National Data Privacy Day. To help provide security and peace of mind, AAA is now offering credit monitoring and identity theft protection to local members.

Experian® is AAA Western and Central New York’s new identity theft partner. Its ProtectMyID® Essential plan, activated after enrollment, is now available to all AAA members at no cost. This includes free basic monitoring of the member’s Experian credit report, as well as lost wallet protection and fraud resolution support. Upgraded Deluxe and Platinum plans are also available.

“We are thrilled to partner with Experian to offer the ProtectMyID product to our members,” said Tony Spada, president and CEO at AAA Western and Central New York. “We continue to work to provide safety, security and peace of mind to our members. Adding identity theft monitoring to all the products and services we already offer is just one more way we can provide an additional layer of protection for our members.”

More information available at www.AAA.com/IDTheft.

What is identity theft?
More than 15 million Americans have experienced identity fraud and theft, with $16 billion stolen from their wallets, banking and credit accounts, personal computers, mobile phones, and even social media accounts.¹

Identity theft occurs when someone’s personal information is fraudulently obtained and used for financial gain — often years after the original theft. Not only does identity theft invade your privacy, it robs you of your most valuable asset: peace of mind.

How do thieves steal your identity? 
While the most common form of identity theft (85%) involves the illegal acquisition of credit cards and account information, there are many methods thieves use to steal your private information.²

What you can you do to prevent identity theft?
While there’s no way to stop identity theft from happening entirely, there are steps you can take to help prevent it. To get started:

1. Monitor your credit reports: Check your report from all major bureaus—Experian®, Equifax® and TransUnion® for potentially fraudulent activity. 
2. Monitor your bank accounts: Check for suspicious activity. If you spot something, address it immediately. 
3. Secure your accounts: Create a strong password. Even better, make it a passphrase and create a unique login for each of your social media and email accounts.

1: Javelin Strategy & Research. (2017) Identity Fraud Hits Record High with 15.4 Million U.S. Victims in 2016". Javelin Strategy. 
2: “Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2015). Victims of Identity Theft, 2014 (NCJ 248991)”. Bureau of Justice Statistics.