9 July 2009

Protect yourself from ID Theft

Over 20 of the best ways to protect yourself from Identity Theft…

Burn or shred any mail or financial papers with your personal information on it.

Report lost or stolen credit cards immediately and notify one of the three credit monitoring agencies if you discover your identity has been stolen.

Close any of the affected accounts right away and notify your local authorities. Then report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission.

Never give out your personal information to anyone who asks for it by phone or e-mail, unless you know the person or have initiated the conversation.

Use one credit card specifically for online shopping and be sure you can check the statements regularly online. Also be sure it has a low credit limit so if you get ripped off, you won’t lose much.

Never use your debit card as a credit card. If it is stolen, thieves can drain your entire bank account.

Try to shop only on secured Websites from companies you know and trust.

Never use something obvious as a password, like your mother’s maiden name or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Limit the number of credit cards you hold, and religiously inspect your financial statements each month. Consumer rights quickly fade over time; the sooner you discover an identity theft incident, the better.

Avoid sending your financial or personal information (Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, etc) via e-mail or instant messenger. They’re usually not encrypted and your information could be intercepted.

If your identity is stolen (or you think it might have been stolen) and you live in one of the 26 states with laws allowing you to do so, consider freezing access to your credit records.

Keep your personal and financial information in a safe and secure place at home. Though a lot of identity theft occurs online, the Federal Trade Commission says even more happens the old fashioned way: stealing your stuff.

Be alert to signs of trouble like unexpected bills, bills that never come even though they should, denials of credit for no apparent reason, calls from businesses about purchases you never made.

Always check your credit report and inspect your financial statements.

Call 1-888-5OPTOUT and ask to stop credit card companies from sending pre-approved credit card applications to your house. They are ticking identity theft time bombs.

Ask your credit card firm to cease delivery of “convenience checks.” They, too, are ticking time bombs.

You’re entitled to one free credit report each year. Get it as soon as possible and review it carefully.

Order a credit report a month or more before you make a big purchase or apply for credit, to be sure there are no surprises in your history.

Hassle companies that ask for personal information, such as your phone number at a checkout line. The harder we make it on companies, the less they will be inclined to continue the practice.

It’s impossible to tell what’s real and what’s fake online. Just delete any e-mail that asks for personal information.

Just hang up on telemarketers, particularly ones who seem to be fishing for personal information, like your birthday.

Most of the time, you can’t prevent an ID theft incident from occurring, because two-thirds of the time, some company that leaked the data is to blame. So be prepared, and be organized. Save paper bank records for a year, at least. You’ll need them to prove your account balance in the event of an ID theft incident.

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Posted by Admin | July 9, 2009 | Filed under ID Theft Prevention Tips

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