Preventing Identity Theft Tips

We should all be proactive in preventing identity theft nowadays. We are all aware of the damage an identity thief can do to us both financially and to our reputation. The thief, after all, wants to steal your identity for just one reason, to commit as many acts of fraud as possible before you find out and take action to prevent your plastic being used or further loan agreements being taken out in your name.

The targets for the identity thief are wha you would expect: Your social security number, bank account details, credit card numbers etc. In todays modern world they are also after passwords. Passwords open doors to email accounts, online banking, ebay accounts etc. Preventing identity theft is not easy but there are several steps you can take to at least minimize your risk. Lets have a look at a few of them here.

1) Mailbox: Get a good lock fitted and use it! Many people still do not bother to lock their mailbox and yet it’s one of the easiest steps you can take in preventing identity theft. Without a lock, all the identity thief needs to do is amble by, open the flap and grab all your mail. Consider cutting your post down as much as possible by using online banking so that you no longer receive bank statements on paper.

2) Wallets and Purses: It seems an obvious step towards preventing identity theft but thousands of wallets and purses are lost/missplaces/stolen every single day and most contain everything the identity thief needs. Try and memorize your social security number and never carry it around with you.

3) The Trash: Get yourself an household shredder. They cost as little as $20 and are an essential tool in preventing identity theft. The identity thief knows full well that the easiest way to get a persons identity is to find it in the trash! Known as dumpster diving, they are looking for anyones bank statement, credit card statements or if they are lucky, a canceled check. Shred all your personal documents before putting them in the trash.

4) Protection: Sign up with Life Lock to get fraud alerts on your credit files. They also watch for your personal details being used online and offer you the peace of mind that can only come from knowing a professional body has got your back covered and if that were to fail, they have a $1 million guarantee backing up their system.

5) Giving It Away: No online institution, whether its a bank, ebay or Amazon, will ever ever ask you in an email for your log in information so if you get an email that looks genuine and its asking you to confirm your password by sending it to them, its a fake. Sometimes the email includes a link and asks you to click it to log in and again its a fake. The form simply catches all the usernames and passwords and sends them off to the identity thief. If you get an email from your bank, phone them if you aren’t sure and ask. Preventing identity theft means being jst as careful online as offline with your personal information.

6) Lockers and Storage: Did you know the majority of identity theft criminals caught actually knew their victims? Sad but true, you are more likely to have your identity stolen by a flatmate, workmate, brother in law even a son or daughter than you are by a stranger. Put your own locks on any lockers you use at the gym or work place. Don’t leave financial documents laying around the home.

For many more steps you can take in preventing identity theft please download our free ebook by right clicking here and selecting “save as”.