Preventing Identity Theft With A Few Simple Tips
Preventing identity theft is something we should all be thinking about. The identity thief steals your identity for the sole intention of committing fraud in your name. He wants access to your bank accounts, credit cards and even your email accounts and if he gets it, he’s going to leave you in a severe financial mess and possibly with several litigations.
The identity thief will want your Social Security card number, passwords and bank account, credit card number and other information. Therefore, in preventing identity theft, ensure that you have some sort of system in place so you never accidentally give out personal information. So where are the potential dangers and risks that can compromise your security? Here are just a few of them.
Mailbox: Lock it securely! Many people still do not bother and yet it’s one of the easiest steps you can take in preventing identity theft. Without it, all the identity thief needs to do is walk past, open and grab your post. Cut your post down as much as possible by singing up to online banking and cancelling paper bank statements.
Purses And Wallets: Getting hold of your typical purse or wallet is like striking gold for the identity thief so always try and keep it safe. Also, have a look through it right now and see if you really need to be carrying everything that’s in there. Your social security number for instance, when was the last time you actually needed it going about your every day business? Take it out and leave it somewhere safe and only take it with you when you know you will need it, new job, hospital visit etc. Better still, try and memorize it so you never need to carry it on your person.
Trash Can: A shredder costs around $20 and is an essential tool in preventing identity theft. Known as dumpster diving, the active identity thief thinks nothing of rummaging through trash in the hope of finding a bank statement, a canceled check etc. The identity thief knows full well that dumpster diving is the easiest way of stealing an identity from someone. Don’t let it be yours!
Don’t Ignore The Professionals: A company like Life Lock charge around $10 a month which is great value for money when you consider the peace of mind that comes with it.
Give It Away: By just coming out with it and asking for your details the thief hopes to catch you off guard and guess what, it works every day. A phone call from the doctors asking you to confirm your address and social security number, an email from your bank asking you to confirm your password, an email from ebay asking you to confirm your log in details. All these are known to work. All they have to do is ask enough people and eventually they will get a result. Remember, they can send out millions of emails at once!
Lockers and Storage: Its a sad fact that you are likely to know the person who steals your identity. Put your own lock on lockers at work and the gym. If you are flat sharing, don’t leave any personal documents around and if you put anything in stowage at you friends/brother in laws etc. garage or basement, put personal things under lock and key.
The above are just a few of the many steps you should be taking if you are serious about preventing identity theft. For many more tips and advice on preventing identity theft please feel free to grab your copy of our complimentary ebook, “Facts About Identity Theft“
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