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Preventing Identity Theft
Alas, it's not possible to prevent identity theft and credit
fraud entirely. However, by managing your personal information
carefully, and with a full understanding of its importance, you
can substantially reduce the likelihood that it will happen to
you. The following tips show you how to prevent identity theft.
One Step Up on Identity Thieves
Be careful about giving out personal information. Whether on the
phone, by mail, or on the Internet, prevent identity theft and
never give anyone your card number, Social Security number, or
other personal information for a purpose you don't understand.
Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible, and don't
carry your SSN card. Be sure to keep it in a secure place.
Protect your mail. To stop a thief from obtaining personal
information( stealing identity) about you by going through your
through trash or recycling bin, tear or shred your charge
receipts, credit applications, insurance forms, bank statements,
expired charge cards, and preapproved credit offers. Deposit
outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local
post office. Remember to remove mail from your mailbox after
it's delivered. If you plan to go away, call the U.S. Postal
Service at 800-275-8777 and request a vacation hold.
Guard your credit cards. Minimize the information and the number
of cards you carry in your wallet. If you lose a card, contact
the identity theft protection division of the credit card
company. If you apply for a new credit card and it doesn't
arrive in a reasonable period, contact the issuer. Watch
cashiers when you give them your card for a purchase. Also, when
you receive a new card, sign it in permanent ink and activate it
immediately.
Pay attention to billing cycles. Contact creditors immediately
if your bills arrive late. A missing bill could mean an identity
thief has taken over your credit card account and changed your
billing address.
Safeguard personal information in your home. Especially if you
are having service work done in your home, employ outside help,
or have a roommate.
Find out who has access to your information at work. Be sure to
verify that records are kept in a secure location, and are
accessible only to employees who have a legitimate reason to
access it.
Memorize your passwords and personal identification numbers
instead of carrying them with you. Avoid using easily available
information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the
last four digits of your SSN or your phone number, or a series
of consecutive numbers.
Other ID Theft Facts
Zero responsibility doesn't mean zero problems. Because credit
card companies must limit consumer responsibility to $50 in most
cases of fraud, and because many new cards include "zero
responsibility" identity theft prevention or protection, some
people think there's no reason to worry about credit fraud. But
in its most advanced form -- identity theft -- credit fraud can
cause wide-ranging long-term problems. Identity thieves can use
your personal information to take over your credit accounts and
open new ones. They may even use your good credit to get a job,
take out a car loan, or rent an apartment.
Check your credit report regularly. Checking your credit report
can help you catch mistakes and prevent identity theft fraud
before they wreak havoc on your personal finances. Make sure
your report is accurate and includes only those activities
you've authorized. It's also a good idea to review your credit
report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies
every year -- it's possible that information is reported to one
but not the others.
Quick Fact
Although the identity theft problem is nationwide, states with
the highest incidence of identity theft are California, New
York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida,
Georgia, Texas, Illinois, and Washington.
About the author:
Itna Yeknom is an independent author for core industry related
websites.
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