Here’s How To Be Protected From Identity Theft
Identity theft has become a fairly common crime and, unfortunately, is very costly for the victim. However, there are some things that you can do to help protect yourself from it, including the following identity theft protection:
1. Get into the habit of checking your credit. Federal law entitles you to obtain a free copy of your credit reports from the three major credit monitoring credit bureaus once a year.
2. Never place your credit card statements and bills in your outgoing trash, and never throw away the credit card offers you receive in the mail unless you shred them first. Investing in a paper shredder that also has the ability to cut up your old credit/debit cards is the best solution for destroying this kind of mail so that your personal details can remain safe.
3. Be extra cautious when you use your PIN number for credit charges or at an ATM machine. "Shoulder surfing" is a very popular way for identity thieves to get your personal information from you.
4. Take special care when you receive calls from "companies" asking for your personal information. You may be giving your personal information to a scam artist rather than to a reputable company. It is always best to ask the name of the company and then look it up on your own if you are interested in the offer they're making you.
Identity theft can affect your ability to buy a home, a car, or even acquire credit. Remember, if there are purchases made in your name, and they are not disputed, creditors will assume the purchases made were made by you, not someone posing to be you. Understanding how to protect yourself from identity theft will give you the upper hand you need to stop it before it makes an even larger impact on your ability to secure credit. Remember, your good name is at stake - not to mention your credit history.
Another downfall of identity theft is that you could end up paying a lot of money and going through lots of red tape to correct the damage. This involves tracking the information on your credit report by keeping a paper trail of your actual purchases and unpaid loans or bills. By doing so, if a discrepancy is found, you'll be able to start repairing the damage and stave off any further fraudulent activities.
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- Why You Need To Shred Important Documents To Prevent Identity Theft
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- Cross Cut Paper Shredders Protect Against Identity Theft
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- Identity Theft Protection Services: What They Offer
- Is FreeCreditReport.com A Scam?