It is estimated that between 8 and 10 million American are affected by identity theft each year. Studies show that these numbers increase every year. Identity theft is serious business and you need to protect yourself – today.
There are five quick things you can do to protect yourself and your family from identity theft. There are no guarantees in your protection, but you must be vigilant to defend yourself and family.
1. Be aware of your belongings and protect them. Protect your wallet, your purse, your account numbers, your passwords. Do not leave these items, and more, laying around and available for others to access, steal, or even simply see. I am always amazed at people, primarily females, who leave their purses in a shopping cart at the grocery store and leave an open invitation to anyone to steal. They are not doing anything wrong, but they are opening themselves up to theft. DO NOT leave your passwords for others to see and DO NOT give your passwords out to people. There is a reason they call them PASSWORDS
2. Don’t go phishing. Your bank will not send you an email or call you to ask for your Social Security number or your account number. You have already given them that information. DO NOT reply to those asking for that information. DO NOT click on a link in an email and enter your account number & password. Simply leave the email, go to the website you know to be valid, and logon there.
3. Lock your credit. Did you know that for a small, one time, fee you can lock your credit and no one can access it unless you open it back it. This is typically called freezing and thawing your credit. Access each one of the three credit bureaus and freeze your credit. The cost varies by state, but compared to what it could cost with your identity, it is inexpensive. Remember to keep and securely store the “thaw” information that your will be sent. You may be required to “thaw” your credit before you can even open a savings or checking account.
4. SHRED! Anything that has your name, address, account number, Social Security number – just about everything – should be put through the shredder when no longer needed. Invest in a shredder to perform that function. Shredders, likewise, are inexpensive.
5. Monitor your credit report! You can monitor your credit and see what is going on regularly. Everyone is intitled to a free credit report each year. In some states, you can get more than one free each year. The only place you can go and truly pull your report for free is www.annualcreditreport.com . DO IT TODAY.
There are places you can pay to insure your identity, but these are five simple things that you can do to protect yourself from being a victim. Get started today.
What else are you doing to protect your identity?