Almost one third of the calls received at the beginning of this week were related to questions about personal data protection. Residents mostly inquire about how to act if data is leaked, where to turn, how to protect themselves in the future, and how to find out if someone has tried to take out a loan in their name.
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Although such situations naturally cause concern, experts urge not to panic. Personal data alone is not enough to carry out financial transactions and they emphasize that timely preventive actions can significantly reduce the risk of possible fraud cases. A specialist from “Creditinfo Lietuva” shares the main recommendations that will help residents assess the situation and strengthen their financial security.
The head of the company’s Legal Department, Dovilė Krikščiukaitė, reminds that personal data alone is not enough to obtain a financial commitment or loan. In most cases, other financial indicators of the applicant are also evaluated. However, if some personal data is leaked, it is worth assessing certain risks.
“We want to emphasize – if fraudsters have data about your real estate, this information alone is not enough to take on new financial commitments. We remind that when considering a financing application, financial institutions assess the entire financial picture of the person – income, financial discipline, credit history, and possible fraud risks. Additional security and fraud prevention measures are applied in all cases, even when granting small consumer loans,” says D.Krikščiukaitė, head of the Legal Department at “Creditinfo Lietuva.”
However, according to her, leaked data can be used by fraudsters in other ways. Accurate personal data can help create realistic fraud scenarios, allowing the inclusion of residence data, name, surname, and, pretending to be representatives of certain institutions, attempt to carry out financial transactions or extort money from residents.
“Therefore, it is worth staying vigilant and always verifying the authenticity of the received call or message. Whether the person introducing themselves really is from the presented institution can be checked by verifying their email address – whether it contains unusual characters or unclear names. If you receive a call – pay attention to whether the caller does not rush you or insistently asks to disclose your personal information. If a link received by email or phone raises suspicion, do not open it – it is better to check your requests on the original institution’s website,” says D.Krikščiukaitė.
Nevertheless, if you want to feel secure that no financial commitments have been taken out in your name without your knowledge, you can check this on the website by ordering the “Personal Credit History Report” service. It allows you to see not only all information about existing financial commitments and other personal financial indicators but also which financial institutions have shown interest in your data.
Before granting a loan or lease, financial institutions usually check the credit history. Therefore, an unexpected inquiry from an institution you did not contact may be a sign that someone may have tried to use your data. If such activity is noticed, it is recommended not to delay and take additional measures to protect your identity.
You can also monitor your credit history regularly – this will allow you to notice possible illegal actions faster and take timely measures to prevent them.
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