Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
Most identity thieves are targeting your social security number, your bank account, credit card information and all the corresponding PINs and passwords. A person intent on stealing your identity is hard to thwart. Nevertheless, there’s still lots you can do to protect yourself.
If you want to keep your risk to a minimum, here’s what you need to be aware of.
1. Personal computer: These days, it’s ridiculously easy for someone to hack into your computer files from anywhere in the world. Never neglect installing software that protects your system from spyware and viruses. And don’t forget a firewall. And these days, there is some good identity theft software available that gives you added protection from hackers. Your first step is to use a password that’s hard to crack in order to keep your information safe. It shouldn’t be any less than 8 characters, preferably 10 or more. It should include both letters and numbers. And it shouldn’t be something easy to crack like your birthday or anniversary.
2. Trash: If it goes in the garbage, it must be completely unimportant. However, your garbage is a prime target of identity thieves, because it’s often a goldmine of valuable information that can be used for fraudulent purposes. Major targets are those credit card solicitation letters. It’s critical that these are completely destroyed before they leave your house.
3. Mailbox: Most of us don’t even think about locking our mailboxes. But for anyone who wants your identifying information, the mailbox is a prime attraction. Think about all the financial documents that are sent to your home via the mail. A thief can do a lot of damage with just your bank and credit card statements.
4. Lockers: If you’re serious about identity theft protection, any place you store your handbag or wallet needs to be locked securely. This includes your locker at the gym or your workplace. Use your own lock if you can so it’s harder for a thief to get hold of a duplicate key.
5. Handbag and wallet: Always be aware of and protect either of these two things. The purse or wallet of just about everyone has more than enough information for an identity thief to achieve his purposes. This means your bank card, checkbook and credit cards, as well as the personal identification numbers you have stored (which you’re not supposed to).
6. Information: Be careful who you give out information to. It’s easy to disguise a request for your personal information as coming from a legitimate organization, but sometimes it’s really someone just posing as your bank or credit card customer service representative. This is possible on the phone and through the internet. Giving out details of confidential matters can just be second nature in these cases.
Identity theft is a growing problem, and many people are worried that they will become victim to this faceless crime. That’s why it’s so important to learn some tips on how to protect yourself from identity theft. Learn more about how to protect yourself at Identity Theft Facts.