Recommendations for Preventing Identify Theft

Identity theft is on the rise, and when someone steals your identity they can ruin your credit rating, get access to the funds in your bank account and can steal the funds from your 401k account. The best identity theft solution is prevention, so here are some tips to help prevent identity theft:

Don't leave credit cards unsecured in your car, home or office.

Invest in a paper shredder and shred every thing that might contain personal information before you throw it out into the trash bin.

Don't have personal information such as your social security number printed on your checks. If a bank or store needs that information for some reason they can ask for it.

Never give out personal information to someone over the phone. If for some reason it is necessary to obtain that information, ask the caller for their name, phone number and the company they work for and let them know you will call them back.

Pay attention to your billing cycles because thieves have been known to submit a change of address in order to buy more time to conceal their activities.

Review monthly billing statements and immediately call the contact information for anything that looks suspicious.

When doing business over the internet, make sure that all personal information provided is over a secure connection. Your browser will indicate a secure connection and the URL should always begin with https. Also, make sure to read the privacy policy which should be available on any commercial web site doing business on the internet.

Never lend your credit card or driver's license to anyone regardless of how trusted you think they might be.

Make sure to get a copy of your credit report annually to inspect it.

Don't carry unnecessary credit cards, social security card, or a passport.

At the first sign of identity theft, review all your credit transactions and the status of your driver's license. Notify the police and your creditors, and contact the DMV to see what measures you can take to protect your driving record.