Secure Personal Information With
Identity Theft Protection
According to statistics by the Javelin Strategy & Research Center, ID Theft is on the rise
with over 10 million identity theft victims affected in 2009. Anyone is open to attack and the results can be
devastating: destroy your credit rating, stolen funds, and repaying debt you didn’t create. To safeguard yourself,
you must have identity theft protection that keeps your personal information safe and sound.
Keep Your Identity Under Lock And Key
Personal information like your social security number (SSN), date of birth, account
numbers, passwords are the kind that thieves seek. Keeping them locked in a secure spot at home or in a safe
deposit box at the bank are ways to prevent
identity theft. Documents like passports, birth certificates, and credit reports should be locked up
when not in use.
Legitimate companies will not ask you to divulge account numbers or passwords over the
phone. Never give out data that is sensitive in nature, unless you initiated the call. Beware of scams that portray
to be representatives of organizations you deal with.
Don’t make purchases over the phone with a credit card and beware of prying ears while in
public. Identity theft protection means being skeptical of any company that calls
wanting information and unsecured cell phone lines.
Protect Your Mail From Being Stolen
People often let their guard down and are less careful when it comes to their homes.
Statistics show that identity thieves often use it as a primary target. They will steal your outgoing and incoming
mail if left unlocked or unattended.
For identity protection, never leave bills or checks inside in
your mailbox, but take them directly to the post office. Know your delivery schedule and take your mail out of your
home box as soon as possible after it is delivered. Always put a stop on mail delivery when you are on
vacation.
Dispose Of Documents By Shredding
A paper shredder may be one of the best investments you can make for identity theft
protection. Purchase a cross-cut shredder that shreds paper into confetti instead of long strips. All bank account
statements, credit card bills and other personal information should be sent through this device before making their
way to your trash bin. Tear documents into small pieces if you don’t have a shredder.
Check Your Credit Report
Overseeing your credit report is an important part to stop identity theft. You are looking
for unauthorized changes and accounts you didn’t open. By law, you have the right to receive and review one free
report every year from the 3 major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. For a monthly fee, a credit
monitoring service will alert you to unusual activity right away – allowing you to protect yourself from identity
theft in the early stages.
Though they are not required, a monitoring service can provide a layer of extra security
that is unmatched. Peace of mind can come from knowing that identity theft companies such as
TrustedID are watching your back at all times. It acts
as a layer of defense that will assist you with recovery paperwork and fraud alerts or credit freezes.
Cleaning up the mess left by identity thieves and restoring your good credit can cost you
a lot of time and money. Identity theft protection requires a consumer to be savvy to the methods in which thieves
obtain personal information.