Check Yourself

There has been some past opining about holiday fears, so I don't want to continue to scare folks. BUT... you are out there spending and out there using your credit cards, so a reminder to be careful about identity theft. A recent AARP study found that 80 plus percent of those 50 and over are concerned about becoming a victim of identity theft, but just a third had ever read or heard about a security freeze.
One thing you can do is take advantage of a security freeze, which can stop identity thieves from fraudulently opening new lines of credit and bank accounts. More info here, but basically it requires the three consumer reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) to block access to a consumer's credit information and score without the consumer's express consent or authorization.