Want to Avoid ID Theft? Try These 8 Things
1. Never write personal checks to an individual that you do not know. Rather, provide cash, a cashiers check or using Western Union. Even if you don’t use Internet banking, an unauthorized person can remove funds directly from your account using an online service.
2. Before getting rid of account statements, you should be familiar with the following – identity thieves cannot get inside your bedroom or office. Instead, they rummage your garbage bins looking for important information, and often, they discover what they are looking for, so get ahold of a paper shredder. You should also consider making use of a identity theft alert product.
3. Enroll in ‘paperless statements only’. Majority of financial institutions deliver customer statements using the Post Office. It hold nearly all of your banking information and there is nothing stopping someone from opening your statements that come in the mail.
4. You will frequently get checks from your credit card company via regular mail. These can be incredible simple to convert into cold hard cash. Contact your credit card issuer and ask them to quit mailing you those checks. And utilize a protect identity solution to help protect your personal information.
5. Be aware that banks do not change the number of the credit card when they issue new ones. The only thing they replace is the expiration date. Undoubtedly, a credit card that is expired cannot complete a purchase when swiped, but when used online, you just need the number on the card and the name of the card holder.
6. Ensure that your cards are all signed. A store clerk occasionally compares the signature of the person using the card with the actual one on the credit card, especially when a huge amount is involved. To prevent someone who is not authorized using your credit card, write your signature at the back of the card.
7. Pre-approved credit card offers are something that should concern you just like credit card and bank statements. It is easy for a criminal to pull credit with your personal information and those offers. Just like with your other financial paperwork, pre-approved offer mailings must be dealt with in the appropriate manner.
8. Try not to use public computers such as ‘hotspots’, at work or other public places for applying for credit cards online or when doing online baking. They can be accessed easily by hackers. Even though you do not make use of public computers, make sure you wipe clean the browser cookies once you logout. Find out more about LifeLock review to see they have the best service for you.
Mail this post