9 warning signs of identity theft you should never ignore

Identity theft can start quietly. You may not see a drained bank account or a maxed-out credit card. The first warning could be a strange letter in the mail, an unfamiliar inquiry on your credit report or a password-reset alert you never requested.

Those little clues are easy to brush off, but catching them early can give you more time to protect your money, credit and accounts. One unusual message does not automatically mean someone has stolen your identity, so do not panic. Instead, verify what happened and pay attention to anything else that looks out of place.

Here are nine identity theft warning signs you should never ignore.

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A company may contact you after discovering that customer information was exposed. The notice could come from a bank, retailer, employer, healthcare provider, insurer, school or another organization.

Read it carefully. Find out what information may have been involved, when the incident occurred and whether the company is offering steps such as password changes or credit monitoring. Save the notice with your other records.

A breach notice shows possible exposure, not confirmed identity theft. Still, it is a good reason to review your accounts and strengthen your security.

Check your credit reports for hard inquiries you do not recognize. A hard inquiry generally appears when a lender reviews your credit after you apply for credit.

Also look for new accounts, unfamiliar addresses, collections accounts or loans you never requested. Identity thieves may use stolen information to apply for credit before you notice anything unusual.

Check all three major credit bureaus rather than relying on a single report. Details can differ from one report to another, so reviewing only one may leave gaps.

If you find an inquiry or account that does not belong to you, contact the lender using a trusted phone number or website, rather than contact information from a suspicious message.

A bill for a credit card, utility service, medical account or buy-now-pay-later purchase you did not make is a serious warning sign. So is a call from a debt collector about a debt that does not belong to you.

Do not ignore the notice simply because you believe it is a mistake. Ask the organization for details, dispute the account and keep copies of your correspondence.

Be cautious about sharing personal information with an unexpected caller. If you need to contact a company, find its official number independently.

Review checking, savings, credit card, payment app, investment and retirement accounts regularly. Look for small test charges, unfamiliar withdrawals, new payees, password changes, profile updates or transfers you did not authorize.

Scammers sometimes begin with a small transaction to see whether an account is active. Other times, they try to take over the account entirel