If you have been impacted by a data breach, there may be some steps you can take to protect your identity.

Here are some steps suggested by New York Attorney General Letitia James to avoid theft:

Credit monitoring services track your credit report and alert you whenever a change is made, such as a new account or a large purchase. Most services will notify you within 24 hours of any change to your credit report.

Consider placing a free credit freeze on your credit report. Identity thieves will not be able to open a new credit account in your name while the freeze is in place. You can place a credit freeze by contacting each of the three major credit bureaus:

Equifax - Website | 888-766-0008

Experian - Website | 888-397-3742

TransUnion - Website | 800-680-7289

Place a fraud alert on your credit report. A fraud alert tells lenders and creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before issuing credit. You can place a fraud alert by contacting any one of the three major credit bureaus.

If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, go to identitytheft.gov for assistance on how to report it and recover from it.