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Protect Your Retirement With Discover Identity Theft Protection

Last Updated: October 22, 2024
4 min read

Table of contents

Key Points:

  1. Thieves can steal your identity if you put personal info on social media or open emails from unknown sources.

  2. Discover® Identity Theft Protection may help combat identity theft.

  3. Discover® Identity Theft Protection monitors the three major credit bureaus for changes and any of thousands of Dark Web sites for your Social Security number, and more.

If you’ve worked hard for years to prepare yourself for retirement, the last thing you want to see is your financial plans put in jeopardy. Having sensitive information compromised could lead to fraud charges on your credit card or having your savings stolen. It’s important to know the ways thieves can steal your identity, as well as how you can protect yourself from identity theft.

Everyday identity theft risks

We have a lot of tools at our fingertips that speed up our shopping experiences, but some will put you at risk of identity theft. It’s convenient to access bank account over a public Wi-Fi network or save credit card numbers on a web site that you shop often. But these are common ways identity thieves can access your data.

Cybercriminals may sell or trade personal information they have about you. The end buyer then uses that data to get even more information about you. In total, this may mean that cybercriminals have a more complete picture of your digital life.

Did you know?

Discover offers cardmembers free Online Privacy Protection. Discover gives you more control over your personal information online by regularly helping you to remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. Activate by mobile app for free.1

Keep your digital DNA to yourself

Your digital DNA is everywhere, and you can lessen the risks surrounding it in a few ways.

Social media

Don’t give everything away online—full birth date, childhood hometown, parents’ full names, and so on. An identity thief could use that information about you to gain access to sensitive information.

Travel

Before you travel, consider installing a virtual private network (VPN) on your mobile device. A VPN can encrypt internet traffic and help protect sensitive information.

Better passwords

Make hard-to-crack passwords for banks and other sensitive account sign-ins. If you’ve been using simple passwords for many years, it’s time to trade ABC123 in favor of something with a mix of letters, numbers, symbols and capitalization (and ideally longer than 15 characters). You can use online password generators and managers to create strong passwords like cXmnZK29rf*&DadD. You could also create one with an easily remembered (but random) set of words like DogRedTiredWalkOcean.

 

It’s also a good idea to change your passwords regularly and securely store them. Don’t forget to apply the same password rules to any credit card information you want to keep as a default with a trusted online retailer.

Use caution when clicking

Make sure to watch what websites you visit and emails you open, as they can be the entry points to phishing attacks and malware installations. Don’t respond with any personal information and check that the email address corresponds to a real website. Be aware of scams that specifically target older adults.

 

One common scam is the fun online personality quiz. These quizzes often ask the same questions to tell your personality as many websites use for your online account security. Questions might include the street you grew up on, favorite color, and the name of the school you went to. They may seem like innocent questions, but they are a way to phish for your personal information.

Discover is your partner in combating identity theft

Discover can help you tackle identity theft with Discover Identity Theft Protection for just $15 per month. This comprehensive service includes: three bureau credit alerts–when key changes2 are reported to your credit file; bank account alerts—if a bank account in your name opens or updates at any one of thousands of financial institutions we monitor every day,3 and more alerts of potential threats to your identity.

In the case of ID theft, you can access up to $1MM Identity Theft Insurance—for legal expenses, reimbursement of stolen funds, lost wages, and more covered expenses3—and count on expert service from 100% U.S.-Based Fraud Resolution Specialists.3

In addition, Discover monitors your account through a free warning system to quickly notify you of any unusual activity. This tool constantly monitors your account for fraudulent activity and will notify you with a fraud alert if we detect anything suspicious. Discover has a $0 Fraud Liability Guarantee. You’re never responsible for unauthorized purchases on your Discover Card.4

Taking some simple steps to be more vigilant in your everyday life is critical. Enlisting the help of fraud alerts and an identity theft protection service may provide you with the peace of mind you need to fully enjoy your retirement.

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  1. Online Privacy Protection: Online Privacy Protection is offered by Discover Bank at no cost and only available in the mobile app. About every 90 days we will scan at least 10 people-search sites for your online personal information and help you submit opt-out requests. Types of personal information found on these sites will vary.

  2. Key changes include: New accounts, credit inquiries, address changes, potentially negative information such as delinquencies, and public records This product can only be agreed upon, purchased and delivered online. It is optional and voluntary. Full Terms and Conditionsopens modal dialog
  3. Identity Theft Protection: Identity Theft Insurance is underwritten by insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). The description herein is a summary and intended for informational purposes only and does not include all terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies described. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions. Review the Summary of Benefits: NY Onlyopens modal dialog or All Other Statesopens modal dialog.

    This product can only be agreed upon, purchased and delivered online. It is optional and voluntary. Full Terms and Conditionsopens modal dialog
  4. $0 Fraud Liability: An “unauthorized purchase” is a purchase where you have not given access to your card information to another person or a merchant for one-time or repeated charges. Please use reasonable care to protect your card and do not share it with employees, relatives, or friends. Learn more at Discover.com/fraudFAQ.

  • Legal Disclaimer: This site is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. The material on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and does not indicate the availability of any Discover product or service. It does not guarantee that Discover offers or endorses a product or service. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, you may wish to consult a qualified professional.