Identity Theft Protection
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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