How to Protect Your Finances in the Age of AI
When I was working in the corporate world, I had my identity stolen.
The scammer did not get my information directly from me. They got it through someone at work.
Someone sent an email to a person in our HR department. The email looked like it came from our CEO, and it asked for employee information.
The person in HR believed it and sent a bunch of employees' personal information to the scammer.
That one email led to a ton of people having their identities stolen. People had bank accounts, student loans, and credit cards opened in their names.
That is when I learned something I have never forgotten.
You do not have to be the one who clicks to be the one who gets hurt.
Once someone gets a piece of your information, they can do a lot with it. And today, the tools that make that easier are getting better every single month.
Why This Matters More Now
AI is an incredible tool. I use it, and I think it is going to help a lot of people manage their money better.
But it also makes it cheaper and faster for scammers to write convincing emails, copy a voice, or pretend to be someone you trust. That fake CEO email would be even more believable today.
There is a new wrinkle too. Axios recently reported that major U.S. banks have been finding third-party AI agents operating inside customer accounts, and some of those agents appeared to take actions the customer did not ask for.
In many of those cases, the customer had handed the AI their own bank username and password. Several big banks have responded by blocking or limiting these agents.
I am not telling you to fear technology. I am telling you to be intentional about who and what can touch your money.
โ
Here is what I want you to do:
1. Get Your Information Off Data Broker Sites
Data brokers collect and sell things like your name, address, phone number, and relatives. That is exactly the raw material a scammer needs to sound legitimate.
You can opt out of these sites one by one, or you can use a service. This issue is sponsored by DeleteMe, which removes your information from data broker and people-search sites and keeps scanning throughout the year. You can get 20% off at https://joindeleteme.com/PFP20/.
It will not erase you from the entire internet, and it will not stop every scam. It just shrinks how much of you is out there for sale.
2. Freeze Your Credit at All Three Bureaus
A credit freeze makes it much harder for someone to open new credit in your name. It is free at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
A freeze does not stop someone from misusing an account you already have, so it is not a cure-all. When you need to apply for a loan or a card, you can lift it temporarily and freeze it again after.
3. Lock Down Your Email First, Then Your Bank
Your primary email is the master key. If someone controls it, they can reset the passwords to almost everything else.
Use a passkey wherever it is offered. If it is not, use a unique password plus an authenticator app. Text message codes are better than nothing, but they can be hijacked.
Then do the same for your bank, brokerage, and credit card accounts.
4. Verify Every Urgent Request Yourself
The scam at my old job worked because a request looked like it came from someone with authority.
If anyone asks for money or personal information in a hurry, stop. Contact that person or company using a number you already have or look up yourself, never the one in the message.
This goes for a familiar voice on the phone too. Voices can be copied now.
5. Do Not Give an AI Your Bank Password
If you want to use AI with your finances, use connections your bank actually supports, and keep them read-only whenever you can.
Do not give any tool unrestricted power to move your money. Banks are updating their account terms around AI agents, and some say activity from an agent you authorized may be treated as your own.
6. Turn On Alerts and Know Your Plan
Set up transaction and login alerts on every account. The faster you see something strange, the less damage it can do.
If your identity is ever stolen, go to IdentityTheft.gov. It walks you through a recovery plan step by step.
7. Stay Informed and Do a Little Preparation
Pay attention to reputable news sources and official security alerts. You do not need to read every headline, but knowing how current scams work makes them much easier to spot.
I also do some light preparedness. I keep an additional power source and some cash on hand at home in case there is ever a power outage.
This is not about predicting the worst. It is just about being ready for it, so a bad day stays a bad day and not a financial emergency.
Pick one of these and do it this week. Start with whichever one feels easiest, then come back for the next.
Hit reply and tell me which step you are tackling first. Please do not send me any account numbers or personal details, just the step. I read every single response.
I could not control that email to HR.
But I can make the next scam harder to pull off.
โ