Telos Financial

10/08/2026

Credit cards get a lot of attention in conversations about identity theft.

They’re not the whole story.

Someone could use stolen personal information to file a tax return, claim a refund, get employment, use health insurance, receive medical care, or fill prescriptions.

That’s why tax records, medical documents, insurance cards, Medicare information, and Social Security numbers deserve the same care as bank and credit card details.

A few everyday moves can help lower risk:
Keep sensitive documents in a safe place.
Shred paperwork you no longer need.
Be careful with unexpected calls, emails, or texts asking for personal information.
Review medical bills and Explanation of Benefits statements for care you didn’t receive.

Identity theft can show up in more than one part of life. Knowing that makes it easier to watch the right places.



Sources
FTC Consumer Advice, 2026
FTC Consumer Advice, 2026

10/07/2026

Credit freezes and fraud alerts can both make it harder for someone to open new credit accounts in your name.

But they don’t work the same way.

A credit freeze limits access to your credit report. While it’s in place, no one can open a new credit account in your name, including you, unless you lift the freeze.

A fraud alert tells businesses to check with you before opening a new credit account in your name. There are different types, including initial fraud alerts, extended fraud alerts, and active-duty fraud alerts for service members.

The setup is different, too. To place a credit freeze, you contact all three credit bureaus. For an initial fraud alert, you only contact one bureau, and that bureau must tell the other two.

Both are free. Both can be useful. And both are worth understanding before something feels urgent.



Source
FTC Consumer Advice, 2026

10/06/2026

A teenager may not be thinking about credit yet.

That’s exactly the problem.

A child’s personal information can be valuable because it may sit unused for years. No credit card applications. No apartment checks. No loan paperwork. No obvious reason for anyone to notice something is wrong.

The FTC notes that children under 18 generally won’t have credit reports. If they do, it could be a sign of identity theft.

That makes this worth talking about before they’re filling out financial aid forms, opening first accounts, applying for jobs, or heading out on their own.

Not as a scary lecture. As a normal part of growing up financially.

Which details stay private?
Which forms matter?
Which links deserve suspicion?
Why is a Social Security number not just another school-form field?

Their credit history may not have started yet, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be damaged.



Source
FTC Consumer Advice, August 6, 2026

10/05/2026

Identity Theft Awareness Week is a good time to look twice at the details most people skim past.

A bill stops showing up.
A withdrawal looks unfamiliar.
A new account appears.
A charge doesn’t match anything you bought.

None of those are things to panic over on their own. But they are worth checking.

The FTC says bills that stop arriving, charges you don’t recognize, unfamiliar withdrawals, and unknown accounts on a credit report can all be signs that someone may be using your information.

A few regular habits can help: review statements, open account notices, check bills, and look through your credit reports for anything that doesn’t belong.

If something looks wrong, IdentityTheft.gov can help you report identity theft and find recovery steps.



Sources
FTC Consumer Advice, 2026
FTC Consumer Advice, 2026

10/02/2026

🌴 More Americans are deciding that enjoying life now matters just as much as making financial progress for later.

A recent SoFi survey found that 72% of Americans would be willing to make slower progress toward their financial goals so they can spend more time with family, travel more, and prioritize meaningful experiences.

That doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning long-term goals. In fact, 59% of respondents said enjoying life is how they define financial progress, compared with 27% who pointed to owning a home.

The challenge is finding a balance between what matters now and what matters later. ✈️ That can mean making room for a vacation, concert, or family event while still keeping an eye on retirement savings and debt.

But charge that trip to a credit card and carry a balance, and interest can turn a two-week memory into a much longer bill.

What does financial progress look like to you: reaching the next milestone, enjoying more of life now, or some mix of both?


Source:

SoFi found 72% of Americans are willing to make slower progress on financial goals to prioritize family, travel and meaningful experiences.

08/10/2026

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