Fight Fraud with Freebies!

Here are some no-cost or cheap ways to stay ahead of growing scam threats:

Credit and Identity monitoring

Paid monitoring tracks your file at one or more credit reporting bureaus, but you can also do this for free. At AnnualCreditReport.com, review your  Equifax, Experian and TransUnion files each year, ideally with a different bureau every four months. Websites such as CreditSesame.com and CreditKarma.com (which also provides free ID monitoring) track credit bureau data. To protect existing accounts, most banks and credit card providers offer free alerts of suspicious activity. Experian offers a no-cost dark-web scan, but expect an onslaught of pitches for financial products, including more extensive scans for a fee.

Credit Freezes

Thanks to a law passed by Congress earlier this year, credit freezes are now free to everyone --- not just those who are over 65 or are past victims of identity theft. A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report unless you expressly allow it to be shared. Without it, identity thieves can't open new accounts in your name. In order to enact, lift, or temporarily "thaw" freezes when applying for credit, seeking a new job, or switching utility providers or insurance companies, you need to contact each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Call-Blocking Apps

There are apps that will identify and block calls from robocallers, telemarketers and suspected scammers. Enhanced versions are about $3 a month, but True-caller, Hiya, and Call Control offer free apps for smartphones. AT&T and T-Moblie customers can get free "basic" protection, while Nomorobo is available at no charge for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) landlines.

Tax Transcripts

To keep tabs on possible tax refund fraud, request IRS transcripts each year after you get a refund or the IRS cashes your check for underpaid taxes. To view and print your transcripts online, go to IRS.gov and use the Get Transcript tool. You can see the past three returns. Or askfor them by phone at 800-908-9946. This free service summarizes the agency's records of your tax returns and post-filing adjustments. Unrecognized filings may indicate your personal info was used for tax-related ID theft.