Protect your identity by protecting sensitive papers and monitoring your credit.
Identity theft is one of the most common fears people face today. It is the silent stalker that destroys lives before the victim even knows what’s happening. Here are six ways to help protect one’s identity.
- Shred sensitive documents. Any unneeded paper with identifiable information should be shredded confetti style. Throw nothing identifiable in the trash or recycling bin. Shred anything that might give someone information needed to get a bank account, credit card, or other account. When in doubt, shred.
- Get a post office box. If residential mail is delivered to unlocked mailboxes in the neighborhood, get a post office box. An added layer of protection is added if a key is necessary to access mail. Always place a hold on mail delivery when travelling to add a layer of protection making mail harder for thieves to access because mail isn’t laying in the box for long periods of time. When moving, stop mail delivery and have arrangements in place for a secure address to which to forward mail before the move takes place. Never leave either incoming or outgoing mail in an unsecure mailbox.
- Pay bills electronically. Most banks offer a service to pay bills electronically. Use this service to minimize the chances of someone stealing personal information by stealing your payments. This will also save postage, paper, and fuel. If a payment must be mailed, put it in a locked postal box, a blue mail box, or take it to the post office.
- Use passwords. Assign passwords to all accounts including access to computers and any sensitive information on the computer. When shopping online, password protect accounts. Choose passwords that are easy to remember but difficult for others to guess. Keep track of passwords in a password protected file.
- Check credit reports. Order a credit report from one of the three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. Request a free annual credit report each year from www.annualcreditreport.com. Credit monitoring services cost a monthly fee but can add peace of mind by contacting subscribers when there’s suspicious activity on a credit report.
- Track accounts. Always know what accounts are open. Keep a record when closing accounts. Keep receipts. Know how much money has been credited or debited from an account and when. Immediately report any suspicious activity on an account including unrecognized accounts that suddenly show up on a credit report, unrequested cards that arrive in the mail, or unknown charges that appear on an existing account.
Protecting one’s identity is an important, never-ending responsibility. Sometimes, even if a person does everything right, his or her identity can be stolen. Criminals look for ways around the protections people use, so people must always remain vigilant. Use these tips as a starting point to identity protection, but always incorporate new protections as necessary.
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