About

10 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. How does it happen? It can occur because you place your social security number on a check, from a credit card receipt you sign in a restaurant, from an unsolicited email requesting your bank information.

Via paper, the internet or telephone, there are an apparently limitless number of ways your identity can be stolen. That’s why you want to protect it as if it were bars of pure gold that you keep in a safe deposit box.

Avoid Becoming an Identity Theft Victim

If you follow the ten tips below, you can greatly reduce the chances that your identity will be stolen.

  • Never click on a link in an email you receive from a financial institution. Never. Many emails you receive from a bank or other financial services firms are fake. They are called phishing emails.

Even if you feel it’s a legit email, instead of clicking on a link, type the domain name of the institution and then login to your account.

  • Avoid carrying extra identification like a passport, social security card or birth certificate or in your wallet or purse
  • Make a copy of everything you carry in your wallet or purse. This way you know who to call if your purse or wallet is stolen.
  • Take the extra copy of the credit card receipt with you and shred them when you leave a restaurant or other establishment
  • Obtain a good security system for your computer. One that can detect and destroy viruses and spyware.
  • Keep your purse or wallet with you at all times. Never leave them unattended at work, restaurants, parties or in locked vehicles.
  • Refrain from ever providing your credit card or social security number to anyone by telephone unless you’re sure it’s legitimate
  • Maintain daily vigilance over all of your bank balances, account purchases and any other financial transactions
  • Invest in an inexpensive shredder or shredding service. Shred all financially related documents including unused bank checks, credit card statements, PIN letters, and old driver’s licenses.
  • Avoid ever giving out personal data such as PIN numbers, bank account details or credit card numbers

Signs of Identity Theft

Be aware of anything that doesn’t appear right to you regarding your finances. Some warning signs your identity has been compromised include:

  • You’re denied credit for no reason
  • You receive a credit card that you didn’t apply for
  • You receive bills from places you never spent money at
  • You notice missing mail
  • You see mysterious charges on bank or credit card statements
  • You begin getting calls from collection agencies

These aren’t all of the signs but they are among the most common.

Proactive Identity Theft Protection

If you want to be proactive about preventing identity theft, you might want to consider becoming a member of one of the many companies designed to do just that. For as little as $5.00 per month, you’ll achieve the next level of protection plus a reimbursement guarantee of up to $1 million.

This includes:

  • Monitoring your credit report- This is one of the first places where any unauthorized activity will be spotted. Identity theft protection services usually provide a credit report monitoring service. You will be alerted if any changes occur on your report.
  • Fraud flags- This means that anytime a credit application is made in your name, the provider has to contact you personally before going further with the application. You can temporarily suspend specific applications if you will be applying for loan or mortgages yourself.
  • Credit freeze- A credit freeze places a complete block on your credit report. This means not only can no new applications be processed but lenders or creditors will not be able to access details of your credit history.
  • Secure your computer- You will receive extra protection from trojans, malware, spyware and viruses from some identity theft protection services.  This helps protect the personal information you might have on the computer.

  • Electronic vaults- Can you remember all of your PIN numbers and passwords? It may be risky to write them down on paper or even store them in your own computer file. Some identity protection services provide a secure, encrypted account where all of your sensitive personal information can be stored. It can be easily retrieved via an internet enabled device anywhere there is an internet connection.

Identity theft protection services can also provide a more psychological lift. They can bring a peace of mind to you that may be worth more than the few dollars a month the service costs.