4 Ways to Protect Yourself from Identity Thieves
You’ve heard about the horrors of identify theft. You may know someone who has been a victim. Depending on the thief and their level of experience, the crime can be an upsetting inconvenience or an absolute nightmare.
Applying for credit cards is only the beginning. Some skilled identity thieves will take out massive loans in your name. It’s all very scary but it’s also extremely preventable. Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself.
Make Friends With Your Shredder
If you don’t already have a shredder, you need to buy one today. It’s a quick and painless identity protection tool. Simply tearing up and trashing your statements isn’t going to cut it.
Experienced thieves will dig though your trash and easily identify those account numbers in no time. Before tossing any document, be certain it doesn’t have any identity sensitive information. When in doubt, shred it.
Guard Your Social Security Number
Protect that 9-digit number with your life. It’s one of the fastest ways an identity thief can open credit cards in your name. There are some basic rules to follow. For one, never give it out to a third-party unless you know they legitimately need it and you trust the company. Also, ask them how it’ll be protected once recorded or imputed into their system.
Finally, you should always ask companies if your SSN will appear on documents that they’ll mail you. You can request that only the last 4 digits appear or you can just be extra mindful with this particular piece of mail.
Play Safe On the Internet
You’re probably one of the millions of people who manage their bank and credit card accounts online. It’s crucial that you’re cautious with the information you enter on websites. Always clear out all of your logins and passwords-especially if you’re using a public server.
Be wary of phishing too. Banks and businesses are often mimicked with pop-up windows. Furthermore, avoid entering your SSN online unless you’re on a secure connection and it’s with a company you trust.
Enroll in Identity Protection Services
If you’re a big spender and/or someone who deals with several financial accounts, you should consider signing up for identity theft services. These kinds of companies offer both preventative and reactive services to monitor and control your identity and credit.
Most services provide fraud alerts. This action places alerts on your files with all the major credit bureaus. As a result, any bank or credit agency is forced to halt before approving requests in your name. Credit freezes are a more effective tool generally offered. They prevent companies from accessing your credit unless you already do business with them. Though freezes can be a slight nuisance, they’re a sure-fire way to keep your identity on lockdown.
You’re not doomed to identity theft. Regardless of popular belief, it’s really not that easy to have your identity stolen. If you’re taking these precautionary steps, you should have total peace of mind that no one will ever pretend to be you.
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Category: Identity Theft
