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. It’s hard to protect yourself from a determined thief, but there are lots of things you can do to make it less likely you’ll fall victim to this crime.
Keep the following tips in mind if you want to make sure you’re as protected as you can be.
1. Computer: It’s not difficult for a professional to hack into your computer system from a distance. Never neglect installing software that protects your system from spyware and viruses. And don’t forget a firewall. As well, identity theft software is becoming increasingly popular among people who are nervous about their privacy. A basic strategy is to use a strong password to protect your data. Make sure it’s a minimum of 8 to 10 characters long. It should include both letters and numbers. And it shouldn’t be something easy to crack like your birthday or anniversary.
2. Garbage: If it’s garbage to you, you’re usually pretty confident no one else wants it. 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. Mail Delivery: Most people don’t have mailboxes that lock. But your mailbox is a prime target for someone who’s after your personal information. Just consider the amount of mail you receive that includes personal financial information. Imagine what an identity thief can do if he gets hold of your statements from the bank or credit card company.
4. Lockers: If you’re serious about identity theft protection, any place you store your handbag or wallet needs to be locked securely. It’s not just the locker at the gym either, it’s also the one where you work. When you use your own lock instead of one provided by the facility, the thief won’t have access to the extra key.
5. Wallet or purse: Keep these items close to you at all times. Most people carry around in their handbag or wallet everything that a thief requires in order to steal your identity. This includes your credit cards, checkbook, and bank card, not to mention any PINs you’ve written down.
6. Personal and financial information: Always be wary of divulging any details of your personal finances. 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. It can take place both on the internet and on the telephone. Giving out details of confidential matters can just be second nature in these cases.
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Posted: April 21st, 2009 under Identity Theft.
Tags: identity theft, identity theft prevention, identity theft protection
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