Villages Study Groups Club hosts Informative Identity Theft Seminar

The Villages Study Groups Club, in partnership with U.S. Bank Vice President and Branch Manager Olga Dandoy, recently hosted an informative seminar on the growing threat of identity theft. The event aimed to educate the more than 50 participants on how to recognize, prevent, and respond to identity-related fraud.

Identity theft occurs when someone uses another person’s personal or financial information without permission—often for financial gain. This can include stealing Social Security numbers, bank account details, credit card information, or other personal identifiers.

Key topics that were covered included:

– How to Monitor Your Information: Participants learned how to routinely check credit reports and financial statements for suspicious activity.

– Warning Signs of Identity Theft: Attendees were shown how to spot red flags such as unfamiliar accounts, unauthorized transactions, or sudden changes in credit scores.

– Protection Tips: The program offered practical advice on safeguarding personal information online and offline, including using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and avoiding phishing scams.

– What to Do if You’re a Victim: Clear guidance was given on reporting identity theft to authorities, credit bureaus, and financial institutions, along with steps to begin recovery.

Olga Dandoy emphasized the importance of being proactive. “Identity thieves are becoming more sophisticated,” she noted. “It’s essential for everyone, especially retirees and seniors, to take steps to protect the financial security they’ve worked hard to build.”

Attendees received brochures and online links to key resources, such as www.IdentityTheft.gov—a one-stop resource provided by the Federal Trade Commission for reporting and recovering from identity theft; the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), where individuals can request free annual credit reports; and information on fraud alerts and credit freezes as tools for added security.

The event concluded with a Q&A session and hands-on demonstrations of online safety tools. It served as an important reminder of the need for continued vigilance in our increasingly digital world.

Note: Prior to the seminar our Study Groups Club President, Martin Schlager, informed the attendees that our Current Events/News Study Group was in trouble with low attendance and the resignation of its moderator. However, our Study Groups Board is addressing this situation with ideas on changing format, time and day for the discussions. Our first goal to rejuvenate it is to get a new moderator. Martin asked for ideas to be sent to Joey Stern at sternjo@pacbell.net