🧠 Smart Start Series: 7 Essential Accounts Every Young Professional Should Have

Post 1: How to Protect Your Identity Online (Before It’s Too Late)

This is the first article in our series on the 7 essential financial accounts every young professional should have.

Whether starting your first job or just getting your financial life in order, these accounts will help you stay protected, grow your savings, and build a strong foundation. Start with the most overlooked step: identity protection.

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🔐 Why Identity Protection Is the First Step

You might think identity theft only happens to older people with a lot of money. In reality, young adults are often the easiest targets because they have clean credit, less monitoring, and no protection in place.

And once your identity is compromised? Everything else — your bank account, credit score, even your job prospects — is at risk.

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🧨 Real Life: Scammers Are Getting Smarter

If you think identity theft can’t happen to you, watch this 60 Minutes segment:
📺 “They Stole My Name” – 60 Minutes (YouTube)

In the report, Bryan Vorndran, head of the FBI’s Cyber Division, revealed that the Social Security number of every single American is available for purchase on the dark web.

Thieves are using that data to:

• Open fraudulent bank accounts
  
• File for disaster relief or unemployment under your name
  
• Access your credit — and destroy it
  

This isn’t fearmongering — it’s a wake-up call.

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✅ What to Look for in an Identity Protection Service

If you’re going to protect yourself, look for a service that includes:

• Dark Web Monitoring
  
• Credit Report Alerts
  
• $1M Identity Theft Insurance
  
• Lost Wallet Assistance
  
• Real-Time Notifications
  
• Bank Account Takeover Monitoring
  

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🛡️ Our Top Pick: LifeLock (Affiliate Partner)

There are several platforms that offer identity protection. Aura, PrivacyGuard, and Experian IdentityWorks, are among these, but  LifeLock by Norton consistently stands out. LifeLock is one of the oldest and most well-known identity theft protection services in the U.S. LifeLock by Norton is a consistently top-rated and well-established service in the United States. As one of the longest-standing identity theft protection providers, LifeLock is one of the most recognizable name in the industry.

✅ What we like:

• Up to $1 million in stolen funds & expense coverage
  
• 24/7 credit and identity monitoring
  
• Alerts for new accounts, address changes, and suspicious activity
  
• Easy-to-use dashboard with mobile alerts
  
• Backed by Norton, one of the most trusted names in security

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📝 Quick Checklist: What You Should Do This Week

• Sign up for an identity protection service (we recommend LifeLock)
  
• Check your credit report for any errors
  
• Set up alerts from your bank and credit card
  
• Use a password manager and update weak logins
  
• Avoid public Wi-Fi for financial tasks
  

You’re not being paranoid. You’re being prepared.

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🔄 Coming Next: Track Your Spending Like a Pro

In Post 2 of this series, we’ll show you how to set up an AI-powered budgeting app to automatically track your income, expenses, subscriptions, and even your credit score — no spreadsheets required.

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📥 Want the Full Checklist?

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