How Do I Protect My Self from Identity Theft?

In the past decade, you’ve undoubtedly heard something about identity theft, sometimes called identity fraud, at one point or another. You may have heard it in the news or maybe you or someone you know has even fallen victim to it, in which case you already know how big of a problem it is becoming. Millions of people experience identity theft in some shape or form every year and it’s a number that keeps growing. Most of the time identity theft involves the illegal or deceitful use of one’s personal information for economic gain, such as opening a credit card in someone else’s name or emptying another person’s bank account. Its prevalence has many people worried about their data’s security, fortunately there some ways for you to protect yourself from identity theft.

How Do I Protect My Self From Identity Fraud?

1. It may seem obvious, but never give out or display your personal information to anyone you don’t know. This is especially relevant online, where you should never respond to the spam mail, even if it’s offering to make you a millionaire.
2. If you do any shopping online, make sure it is done through trusted retailers that use secure servers.
3. Destroy any mail you receive that contains personal information, such as your social security number or bank account numbers. Pre-approved credit cards can also be dangerous so shred those as well.
4. Check your credit reports several times a year if possible. Your credit report contains information such as what credit cards you have open in your name and their balance; this lets you confirm all the data is correct.
5. Cancel or close any credit cards or accounts you no longer use. In most cases, there’s no point in keeping them open and are only another way to get your identity stolen.
6. Don’t carry all of your credit cards, identification cards, insurance cards, or social security cards with you at once. Losing just one of these can lead to major identity theft problems.

Additional Resources:

• What to Do If the Thieves Get You
• How Can I Protect Myself From Identity Theft?