How to Prevent Identity Theft

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In order to prevent identity theft it is important to know how thieves commit identity theft and fraud. A common statistic states that “four out of five victims of identity theft don’t have a clue how the thief was able to acquire their personal information.” The people who do know think it occurred when they either lost their purse or wallet or they were stolen.

Identity theft can take place at your home, work, or even a business. Mail can be stolen from your mail box, from a drop box at work, and even from postal workers. With the use of computer spyware, home computers are also vulnerable to outsiders.

To prevent identity theft there are some common sense things you can do. Know where you are vulnerable and how thieves can obtain your personal information. Group identity theft has become a big problem for American consumers. Large companies and organizations collect and store millions of individuals’ personal information. If a thief was able to get their hands on this information they could use it themselves or sell it to other thieves. We have heard recent news stories about hackers gaining access to vital credit card and other companies’ information.

Another important aspect to prevent identity theft is to know who your friends are. It is not uncommon for victims of identity theft to find out that it was someone they knew that committed the crime. It could be anyone that has access to your home; landlord, roommate, hired help, and even family members.

Prevent Identity Theft Tips

Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information on it.

Protect your Social Security number. Memorize it and keep it at home in a safe place. Give it out only if absolutely necessary.

When on the phone don’t give out personal information unless you know who you are dealing with.

When checking your email don’t click on links from unsolicited emails. Keep your computer anti-virus up to date and use anti-spyware and firewalls.

When choosing passwords don’t use your birth date, mothers’ maiden name or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

At home keep your personal information in a secure place.

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