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According
to the Identity Theft Resource
Center, "Identity theft is a crime in
which an impostor obtains key pieces of
information such as Social Security and
driver's license numbers and uses it for
their own personal gain." Sad to say,
millions of Americans experience some
level of identity theft. Here are 7
no-nonsense tips to help minimize your
risk to Identity Theft.
1. Secure
Your Mail
Regardless if you live in a single family
home or an apartment complex, you need to
make sure your mail is secure. For
identity thieves, grabbing one's mail can
offer tons of personal information such a
bank account statement or other sensitive
information. If anyone can gain access to
your mailbox, you may want to consider
renting one from the U.S. Postal Service
or at a commercial location such as the
UPS store.
2. Use a
Shredder
If you don't already have one, get one!
You should get into the habit of always
destroying important papers or mail which
may contain personal information. Be sure
to get a shredder that is also capable of
destroying credit cards, CD-ROMs and other
media that may contain personal data.
3. Check
Your Credit Report
Regularly
At least twice a year, you should review
your credit report to ensure there is no
unusual activity. At least once a year,
you can obtain a credit report for free
courtesy of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
A change in the law now makes it possible
for consumers to receive a free copy of
your credit report once a year. You can
obtain copies from the three major
reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and
TransUnion.
4. Secure
Home
Records
If you have a roommate or have service
provider visit your residence, it's
important that you secure important
papers. This may seem obvious but
sometimes laziness prevails and this is
when an identity thief can take advantage
of your situation.
5. Carry
only Required or Necessary
Records
First off, never carry your social
security card in your wallet or purse.
Second, only carry the required
identification such as an
government-issued ID card or a driver's
license plus the credit or debit cards
needed. Bringing credit cards you know
you'll never use is pointless. Reduce your
risk by keeping them home in a safe place
when not needed.
6. Avoid
Volunteering Personal
Information
Common sense tells us not to provide
personal information over the phone to
strangers but what about contests,
surveys, forums or promotions? To minimize
your risk, don't voluntarily disclose any
of your personal information. Revealing
your phone number could be valuable to
telemarketers just as your email would be
to spammers. Your best bet is to avoid
ever giving out personal information
unless absolutely necessary.
7. "Lock"
your
Accounts
Most companies including credit card
issuers, banks, credit unions, utility
companies are now allowing their customers
to place a virtual lock on their accounts.
Similar to a PIN for an ATM card, you
provide the company with a password that
only you know. This way anytime someone
wants to alter your account, you are now
password protected. Even better, there's
usually no charge for this extra security
feature.
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