Identity Theft – How Can You Prevent It Happening
to You?
The nightmare of
identity theft strikes an estimated 750,000 people
every year. How can you keep from being one of them?
While there is no guarantee that you won’t become
a victim, there are some steps you can take to decrease
the risk and protect yourself.
According to the
Federal Trade Commission, some everyday tips to
protecting your personal information include:
•
Not giving
out your personal information to a stranger over
the phone, the Internet, or through the mail. Your
Social Security number (SSN), phone number and address,
credit card or bank account numbers, and drivers’
license number can be used by criminals to assume
your identity. Unless you know the person you are
communicating with or have invited them to contact
you, do not answer any question that makes you uncomfortable.
Identity thieves can pose successfully as agents
from banks, credit card companies, Internet service
providers, utility companies, or government offices.
If someone calls claiming to represent a legitimate
organization, confirm this by calling the customer
service number listed on your statement or bill.
•
Finding out
how your personal information will be used and if
you have the option to keep the details confidential
when providing this data to a legitimate organization,
for example, when filling out an application. Ask
if the organization has a method of securing your
information and if they plan to share it with other
companies or individuals.
•
Always monitoring
the balances on your checking, savings, or other
financial accounts. Keep an eye out for unexplained
charges or withdrawals made without your permission.
Carefully reading your monthly bank and credit card
statements, then checking the amounts against your
check register or other record-keeping method could
catch a thief in the act of assuming your identity
and spending your hard-earned money.
•
Keeping track
of your billing cycles. If your credit card statement
doesn’t arrive at its usual time, this could signal
an address change by an identity thief.
•
Being cautious
handling your mail and even your trash. Place outgoing
mail in a post office collection box or at the post
office instead of leaving it out on your mailbox.
Bring the mail inside promptly every day, and when
planning to be out of town, enlist the help of a
friend or neighbor to do the same. A thief can sift
through your garbage in search of sensitive information.
Shred all charge receipts, credit offers and applications,
insurance or physician’s statements, checks and
bank statements, and discarded credit cards.
•
Storing your
Social Security card someplace other than your purse
or wallet. Provide your SSN only when necessary,
and ask to substitute another number if your state
uses your SSN on your drivers’ license.
•
Carrying
only the credit or debit cards you need. Leave other
identifying cards at home.
In addition to the
everyday precautions that can minimize your risk,
there are some other actions you can take to improve
your safety:
•
Safeguard
the information on your computer by updating your
virus protection plan on a regular basis, using
a firewall to keep hackers from accessing your files,
and deleting any personal information on your computer
before you dispose of it using a “wipe” utility
program that clears the hard drive. Never download
a file from someone you don’t know, and do not open
e-mails from an unfamiliar sender; doing so could
expose your computer to a virus. Finally, when submitting
personal information over the Internet, look for
the “lock” icon on the status bar to know that your
browser is secure.
•
Use passwords
for your bank, credit card, and phone accounts.
Try to think of a unique number that you can remember
other than your birth date, your mother’s maiden
name, the last four digits of your SSN, or a series
of numbers in order, e.g. 1-2-3-4.
•
Find a safe
place for your purse or wallet while you’re at work.
Ask about the policy your office has for securing
your personal information, such as who has access
to it, where it is stored, and how it is disposed
of when you leave.
•
Every year,
order a copy of your credit report from the three
different credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and
TransUnion. Check for the accuracy of each and correct
any discrepancies. You may be charged for the report,
but the savings you receive in peace of mind is
well worth the fee.
•
Clean up
any credit damage as soon as you possibly can.
Errors in reporting alone happen often, some
estimates are as high as 62% of the information
on a credit report may be inaccurate.
That doesn’t even begin to cover situations
such as identity theft which is a serious problem
on the rise in the U.S.
You can consult a Credit Damage expert if
you suspect that your credit has been accessed or
used in any way without your permission.
That includes companies running a simple
inquiry without you saying they can.
When it comes to protecting your
good name and your hard-earned money, a little caution
goes a long way.
You can also visit
Prevention for Identity Theft for more information
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