ID Theft Tips
Identity theft has become a major issue. The legal problems of having your identity stolen take up time and drain emotions. There is no absolutely foolproof way to protect yourself from this crime, but there are plenty of precautions that can significantly reduce the risk of personal information falling into the wrong hands.
Here are some of the most important things that you can do to protect your identity.
1. Once you realize that your card has been stolen or is missing, you can immediately cancel it, rendering it useless to whoever tries to make a purchase.
2. Do not put your social security number on checks. This almost goes without saying. Even putting your driver’s license number under your name and address is not a good idea. Printing only the minimum amount of necessary information on the check (usually name and address) is best.
3. Take outgoing mail directly to the post office instead of putting it in your mailbox. In the eyes of a thief, it is much easier to do a quick grab at your mailbox. Stealing mail out of a USPS mailbox is virtually impossible.
4. Sign your checks with a Uni-ball 207 pen. Some thieves are able to use chemicals to wash the ink off of checks and rewrite higher amounts or make it out to a different person. The ink in the Uni-ball 207 does not wash off, even if it is exposed to chemicals.
5. Cancel unused credit cards. Not only can the card number fall into the wrong hands, but having too many credit cards can adversely affect your credit score.
6. Do not give personal information to unsolicited callers. Some identity thieves try to gain personal information by simply asking for it. Though most people are already wary of this technique, commonly called phishing, thieves are sophisticated, and are always trying new ways to impersonate legitimate businesses over the phone and, increasingly, via email. The easiest way to avoid this kind of problem is to never give out any information over the phone unless you are the one initiating the contact with a business.
7. Do not provide personal information on warranty cards. Like putting your social security number on your check, this is another unnecessary risk. Ask yourself if the company really needs your information to provide you with the service.
8. Always use a cross cut shredder to shred documents. Though there are many sophisticated ways to steal someone’s identity, “dumpster diving” identity thieves are still a danger. However, they can easily be foiled if you use a shredder to render your personal documents unreadable.
9. Treat deposit slips with extreme caution. They are more valuable to criminals than personal checks. This is because they contain all your information, but are not subject to the security measures generally given to checks.
10. Do not carry extra credit cards or identification unless it is absolutely necessary. Know what is in your purse, wallet, or pocket. It is much easier to keep track of 1 credit card, one debit card, and driver’s license than it is to keep track of a driver’s license, student ID, debit card, ATM card, and 3 or 4 credit cards. If your wallet or purse is stolen, you might not even know which cards need to be cancelled.
11. Make copies of both sides of your credit card and your driver’s license.
12. Review your Social Security Earnings and Benefits statement, which is automatically sent 3 months before your birthday, to check for fraud.
13. Examine your credit card statements before paying them. Immediately contact your credit card company if there are purchases charged to your account that you do not remember making.
14. Make sure your security patches and antivirus software are updated regularly. There are viruses out there that can follow your keystrokes when you are filling out forms on the internet. Keeping your computer’s security software up to date will ensure that you have the latest tools in place to combat computer hackers.
15. Secure Web sites start with https:// rather then just http://. This is very important, especially if you are using your credit card to make an online purchase. The https:// means that there is a security system in place to keep others from seeing your information. No “s” means a lack in necessary security.
These are just a few ways to protect yourself from identity theft. Some of these methods might be a little inconvenient. However, they are a small nuisance when compared to what you will have to go through if your credit card numbers, social security information, or other personal data is stolen.
