How to Prevent it

Identity theft and how to prevent it

As computers and electronic shopping become more and more ubiquitous, the odds that someone will steal your personal information to use it for a criminal activity becomes greater. Should you find you have become a victim of theft of identity, it could take months to clear up. It is quite possible that a stranger who gets his or her hands on your financial information could run up debts of $50,000 or more without you even knowing about it. The crisis of identity theft is a growing one. In the meantime, your credit score could be tarnished, and you could be without a way to buy a home or an automobile. You may be unable to land a job, all because someone pretended to be you and spent a bunch of money.

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identity theft victim

What can you do to avoid becoming a victim of theft of identity? Here are a few quick tips that might help:

  • Crooks often steal mail out of mailboxes to obtain personal information. Look out for your mail, such as outgoing and incoming letters.
  • A large number of organizations will ask for a Social Security number as a matter of procedure, but will not ever use it for anything. If anyone asks you for your Social Security number, ask if providing it is really necessary.
  • Destroy, using a shredder, any banking paperwork that you don't need. Destroy any of those convenience checks that your charge card company mails you every month and any preapproved bank card applications you may receive in the mail. "If you don't use it, shred it" is a good policy.
  • Inspect your credit report a couple of times a year. You can get one credit report for free each year from each of the credit agencies, which will allow you to evaluate your report every four months, if you wish. If your credit report contains strange or criminal entries, contact the police and the credit bureau right away. Read your credit report attentively to see if there is any information there that may be unknown to you - a new charge card or home equity loan or automobile loan or any one of a number of financial transactions that a criminal may have conducted in your name. You can receive a copy of your credit record for free at annualcreditreport.com.
  • Keep your Social Security card in a safe place and keep it there. Don't keep your Social Security card with you; if you misplace it, the number on it might be invaluable to a criminal. You will infrequently need your Social Security card as many, if not most adults never show the card to anyone.
  • It's acceptable to give your credit card number to an online store if you have decided to make a purchase. Requesting financial information by e-mail messages is a popular trick, known as phishing, that is designed specifically to steal your personal information. DO NOT provide personal information to any organization that sends you e-mail inquiring about it. Do not offer financial information over the World Wide Web unless you initiated the transaction.

It pays to be suspicious. A small amount of diligence can go a long way towards avoiding these crimes, and it is lots less trouble than digging your way out of the difficulties you will encounter should a thief obtain your personal information.
 

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