Preventing ID Theft
An estimated 10 million people each year are victims of identity theft and that number is steadily rising. Follow these simple steps to ensure that you are well-protected against any thief who would try to steal your personal information.
- Shred any and all documents which contain any sort of personal information with a cross cutting paper shredder.
- Make sure your mail is safe and not accessible to thieves.
- Do not carry your social security card or any document that has your social security number on it if at all possible.
- Never give out personal information on an incoming call, unsolicited e-mail, or unsecure website.
- Check the reliability of websites and make sure you have an up-to-date firewall and virus protection installed on your PC.
- Never underestimate the malice or ability of a close family member, friend, or co-worker who has access to your information to do you harm.
- Periodically review your credit file for accuracy to ensure no one has applied for and/or obtained credit without your knowledge.
- If you feel you are in danger or that your information may have been compromised, you may want to enroll in a credit monitoring service, purchase ID theft protection, and place an initial fraud alert on your credit reports.
Posted: January 29th, 2009 under Advice, Consumer Alerts, Credit Education.
Tags: credit reports, fraud, identity theft
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