Fifteen ID Theft Prevention Steps

Identity theft usually happens when a certain person unlawfully gets your personal data like your Social Security, Driver’s License, and Credit Card Numbers and other information about you.

The person who obtains your personal information utilizes it to his or her loan or credit card application, which is under your name. The thief also uses it to do unlawful purchases or to use any of your active financial accounts.

Identity is very rampant today, but there are significant guidelines you can consider which will help you lessen the potential of becoming victim to one of the identity thieves.

1.) Do not give any of your personal details such as your birth date, social security number and accounts numbers on the telephone especially when someone asks you for it.

In addition, do not give it through email except if you are the one who started the contact and if you know the person who will receive your information.

2.) Tear into pieces the papers that have your personal data before disposing them. These papers include credit card bills, checking accounts and bank accounts

3.) Have correct and present records of all your cards and record the person or department to contact if they are missing or stolen. If possible, make copies of your credit cards and put your service number on the copies. Put theses away in a safe place.

If you are not using your credits card now, make sure to store them in a safe place and have it locked.

It is also a good idea to store your unused checks, social security card and bank statements in a safe place.

4.) You should also ensure to get all of your credit card receipt copies when buying something. Moreover, always insure that your credit card was returned to you.

5.) It is necessary to monitor your credit report every year. There are three main credit card reporting offices which can help you do that.

These three reporting offices allow you to have a free credit report annually. If you want, you can visit their websites and ask for a free report.  I have a link for equifax, one of the three reporting agencies, at upper left.

6.) You should also ensure that when you are withdrawing from any ATM machine or store, there is no one at your back who could freely see your PIN number.

Also, be sure that no one hears you when you are giving your credit card number or other personal data about you to someone on the telephone.

7.) When buying something online, ensure that the website is safe.

8.) When using your personal computer, use firewalls or any well-known virus protection. You should also create a password that is a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.   

It should be a combination of at least letters and numbers, letters and symbol, symbols and number or else a combination of the three.

Remember not to use passwords that  obviously come from your birth date, anniversaries or phone numbers. If necessary, memorize your passwords. Never write them down on anything.  

9.) Do not reply to any emails that request your information update. Contact the credit card office or the bank directly to update your personal information.

Keep in mind that bank and other financial or non-financial institutions do not ask for information updates through email.  So, beware of any entity that asks for such information from you.

10.) If you notice many pre-approved credit offers in your emails, call the credit card company and request to have your name out of the promotional lists they advertise.

11.) If your home mail box does not need a key to open it, have your mail sent to the post office.  However, don't let it sit and accumulate.  You are giving an identity thief at the post office the chance of stealing personal information from you.

12.) Make sure that you receive your new issued checks straight from the bank in which you do business. Also, pick them up at the bank.  Do not have them sent through the mail.

13.) Use passwords for all your accounts for your safety. Again, use the combination of letters, numbers or symbols when creating passwords.

14.) You can always apply for an identification theft insurance policy.

15.) You can register with any one of the many credit watch offices. They will make checking your credit report simpler by automatically informing you when something has changed in your report.

This will make it possible for you to know if someone is attempting to create credit under your name.

By simply following the ID Theft Prevention Secrets above, you are protecting yourself from this insidious crime.