Tips to Prevent Identity Theft

25 Jan Tips to Prevent Identity Theft

Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the U.S., with nearly 9 million households being affected by it every year. Identity theft is when someone steals your personal information and uses it as their own in order to obtain credit, gain access to your accounts, obtain official documents, etc. Knowing how to prevent identity theft is essential to protecting your personal information and finances. Here are some tips for how you can prevent identity theft from happening to you…

• Leave Personal Documents at Home: Don’t keep your social security card or birth certificate with you unless you need it that day. Leave personal documents at home, along with lesser-used credit cards and pull them out only when you need them. In addition, don’t have your social security number printed on things like your checks or driver’s license where the public might see it.
• Pick Up New Checks: Instead of having new checks mailed to you when you run out, pick them up at the bank. That way no thieves can get a hold of them in the mail.
• Don’t Give Out Personal Info: Identity thieves may pose as your bank or other agency over the phone or email and ask for your personal information. Never give out your information unless you initiated the communication. Instead, call them back yourself to authenticate the call.
• Monitor Accounts and Reports: Keep a close eye on your credit report and notify the credit bureaus of any unauthorized changes. Review your credit card bills regularly to make sure all of the charges are correct.
• Guard Account Numbers and Passwords: Keep any account numbers that you have written down stored at home, not in your wallet. Shred any mail you no longer need and neatly file anything you need to hold on to. Make all of your passwords a mix of letters and numbers and store them somewhere safe as well.

Following these tips will help ensure that your personal information stays out of the hands of identity thieves. There are companies who specialize in monitoring your accounts and reports for you, for a fee, but there are also free programs and websites where you can do it yourself. With so many resources available, preventing identity theft is easier and less time consuming than trying to fix everything after you’ve become a victim will be.

Author: t6admin