The Complete Guide to Protecting Personal Information in the Age of AI

Adults 60 and older lost $7.7 billion to scams in 2025, a 37% increase from 2024, with more than 201,000 victims reporting losses to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. Sources: FBI IC3 2025 data and AARP, Older Adults Hit Hard by Fraud in 2025.

The brutal truth is that a few specific pieces of information do most of the damage. Understanding which ones are most valuable helps you protect what matters most instead of trying to guard everything equally.

These four pieces of information, combined, give scammers nearly complete access to your financial identity.

1. Full Social Security number

With your SSN, scammers can open new credit lines and loans, file fraudulent tax returns, get jobs in your name, and access government benefits. The damage can reach $50,000 to $200,000 or more in fraudulent debt, years of credit cleanup, wage garnishment, and even false criminal records.

Protection strategy: only provide it when absolutely necessary. When asked, say "Do you really need my full SSN, or just the last 4 digits?" Monitor your credit for unauthorized accounts, and place a credit freeze.

2. Full name plus date of birth

Combined with your SSN, your name and date of birth verify your identity on most accounts and can be used to apply for credit or create false documents. Keep your DOB private on social media, do not post public birthday announcements, and avoid listing your middle or maiden name in public profiles.

3. Mother's maiden name

This is the number one security question across banking and financial services, which is exactly why scammers want it. With it, they can reset passwords and take over accounts.

• Call your bank and change security questions to something only you know.
• Do not post your maiden name publicly, including on genealogy sites and quizzes.
• Create a fake answer, such as a made-up maiden name, and write it down somewhere safe.
• Use different security answers for different accounts.

4. Driver's license number

Combined with your name and DOB, this can be used to create fake IDs and apply for fraudulent loans or rentals. Only provide it when truly necessary, such as to police, your bank, a car rental company, or an airline. Do not post photos of your license online or share it on dating apps.

These are not master keys, but they enable specific types of fraud, so share them only with the parties that genuinely need them.

1. Data breaches, where you have limited control

Companies you have done business with get hacked, and your data is sold on the dark web for as little as $1 to $10 per record. You cannot prevent the breach, but you can limit the damage: use a unique password for every account, enable two-factor authentication, monitor your credit, and place a credit freeze.

2. Public records and social media, where you have significant control

Property records, genealogy sites, and DMV and court records expose your name, address, DOB, and maiden name. Social media adds photos, life events, family relationships, travel plans, and voice samples.

• Opt out of data brokers and people-search sites.
• Make your social media private, not public.
• Avoid posting where you are or when you will be away.
• Do not post family relationships publicly.
• Disable location services on photos.
• Do not post travel plans until you are back.

3. Phishing and social engineering, where you have full control

• Never provide sensitive information to unsolicited callers.
• Always hang up and call back using a known number.
• Do not click links in emails; type the URL yourself.
• Be skeptical of urgency, such as "act now or your account will be closed."

Step 1: reduce what is exposed, this week

1. 1.Review all social media profiles and make them private.
2. 2.Remove posts showing your DOB, maiden name, or family relationships.
3. 3.Remove voice samples and videos that could be used for voice cloning.
4. 4.Disable location services on your photos.
5. 5.Opt out of data brokers and people-search sites.

Step 2: secure your accounts, this month

1. 1.Enable two-factor authentication, starting with email, then banks, investments, and healthcare. Prefer an authenticator app over SMS.
2. 2.Use a password manager to generate and store a unique password for every account.
3. 3.Freeze your credit with all three bureaus. It takes about 15 minutes, is free, and you can lift it temporarily when you need credit.

Step 3: monitor ongoing

• Check your credit reports for free at AnnualCreditReport.com, staggering one bureau every four months.
• Review bank and credit card statements monthly for unauthorized transactions.
• Contact your bank immediately if you see unusual activity, and place a fraud alert with the credit bureaus.

Never provide personal information in response to unsolicited calls, emails with links, text messages, or social media messages, especially any that pressure you to act urgently. Legitimate organizations never ask for your password or PIN, and the IRS contacts you by mail, not by phone or email.

1. 1.Hang up.
2. 2.Look up the organization's official phone number yourself, not the one they provided.
3. 3.Call that number.
4. 4.Verify the claim before sharing anything.

Immediate actions

1. 1.Change your passwords, especially email, which controls other accounts.
2. 2.Enable two-factor authentication on all important accounts.
3. 3.Monitor your accounts for unusual activity.
4. 4.Place a fraud alert. Calling one credit bureau notifies all three.
5. 5.Check your credit reports for unauthorized accounts.

Longer-term actions

1. 1.Freeze your credit to prevent new accounts in your name.
2. 2.File a police report to create a record for fraud recovery.
3. 3.Report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
4. 4.Keep monitoring for 12 or more months, since identity theft recovery is lengthy.