In recent months, criminal organizations at both the local and international level have been using the identities of U.S. citizens to open accounts and file fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits, exploiting the unprecedented expansion of these benefits provided in response to economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many ways that they are doing this, and the schemes range from targeting Medicare, social media, robocalls, and unemployment insurance. While not all schemes revolve around some form of identity theft, many do. According to Experian, one of the three major credit reporting agencies, here are some telltale signs of identity theft: • You no longer get your household bills in the mail. • You’ve been turned down for a loan or credit card. • You’re being billed for items you didn’t purchase. • Your financial accounts show charges you don’t recognize. • Your tax return was rejected. • Small test charges appear on your credit card statement. • Your creditors alert you to suspicious activity. It’s important to keep an eye out and be aware of anything out of the ordinary. There are also steps you can take to protect yourself such as password protecting your devices, never giving out information ove