How do you go about personal identity theft protection to minimize the risk and potential damage? When it involves your personal information, exercise caution and prudence.
Hide easily available information
- place passwords on your credit card, bank and phone accounts
- don’t use birth date, the last four digits of SSN or phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers
- when asked for your mother’s maiden name, try using a password instead
- secure personal information at home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having servicemen in your home.
- don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact or are sure you know who you’re dealing with.
- identity thieves can be skilled liars, and pose as representatives of banks, Internet service providers, government agencies - before divulging any personal information, confirm that you’re dealing with a legitimate representative of a legitimate organization - double check by calling customer service using the number on your account statement
Identity theft protection - mail and garbage
- deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office instead of an unsecured mailbox
- remove mail from your mailbox promptly
- if you’re planning to be away from home and can’t pick up your mail, call the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 to ask for a vacation hold
- buy a shredder and shred charge receipts, copies of credit applications or offers, insurance forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, and expired charge cards
Identity theft protection at your workplace
- ask about identity theft protection in your workplace, who has access to personal information and verify that your records are kept in a secure location.
- ask about the disposal procedures for those records as well.
- limit the identification information and the number of credit and debit cards that you carry to what you’ll actually need.
- keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work.
What can you do today
Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus. Your credit report contains information on
- where you work and live,
- the credit accounts that have been opened in your name
- how you pay your bills
- whether you’ve been sued, arrested
- filed for bankruptcy
Make sure it contains an accurate and authorized information.
By law, credit bureaus can charge you no more than $9 for a copy of your credit report.
Social Security protection ...
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