COLUMBIA, S.C. – December is Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month and the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) will recognize the month with several free webinars.

SCDCA urges everyone to take steps to protect their personal information. Identity thieves can use your information anyway you do. They can open new financial accounts, run up charges on your credit cards, cash in on fake tax returns or get medical treatment on your health insurance.

During December, SCDCA will host several free webinars to help consumers and businesses learn how to protect information from would-be-thieves. To register for a specific webinar, click the title links below:

• ID Theft Basics December 6 at 10:30 a.m. — We will cover the basics of what ID theft is, how it can happen and the free tools for how you can protect your information.
• State and Federal Privacy Laws for Businesses December 7 at 2:00 p.m. — We will provide an overview of state and federal laws that tell businesses how to handle your personal information.
• FTC Safeguards Rule Updates for Businesses December 14 at 2:00 p.m. — We will discuss changes to the rule and the data security safeguards that financial institutions are required to put in place to protect their customers’ financial information.
• Responding to Debit and Credit Card Fraud December 20 at 10:30 a.m. — We will outline the steps you should take if there are transactions you do not recognize on your accounts or if someone attempts to open new accounts in your name. 

Consumers who have identity theft questions or who would like help with the steps to mitigate their identity theft situation please contact the Identity Theft Unit for one-on-one assistance. Call (844) TELL DCA (835-5322) or fill out an ID Theft Intake form by visiting consumer.sc.gov, click the How Do I… button, then Report Identity Theft.

About SCDCA

Established in 1974, DCA has nearly fifty years of experience in protecting South Carolina consumers while recognizing those businesses that act honestly and fairly. Cultivating a marketplace comprised of well-informed consumers and businesses prevents deceptive and unfair business practices, allows legitimate business activity to flourish, resulting in the promotion of competition and a healthier economy.