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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.
For more information about identity theft prevention contact Cathy
at 949 635-4923
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Identity Theft Articles
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