Prevention Tips on
How to Protect Your I.D.

Here are a few quick prevention tips on what you can do to cut down your chances of being the victim of Identity theft.

·       Purchase a cross cutting shredder as it does a better job than the strip cutter. You should shred all receipts that have financial information on them; credit cards, bank cards, or anything that contains personal financial information or details on your identity.
 

·       One of the most important things to safe guard is your bank debt card. Most bank cards are issued with a high daily withdrawal limit of usually $1,000. If you hardly ever need that kind of cash, then ask your bank to lower your bank card withdrawal limit to say $100, $250, or $500. If you need more money than that, you can go to the bank teller for more. This way, if your card is lost or stolen, all the thieves can get is the lower limit you set.
Also, always shield your hand while inserting your pin number so that people or hidden cameras can not record your pin number.

·       Rent a safety deposit box at your bank and keep all confidential documents in the box.

·       You should make a handwritten note of all passwords and identities used on the Internet, credit cards, banks, etc. and keep this copy in your safety deposit box.  

·       Make a photocopy of all your credit cards, bank cards, driver’s license, etc. Photocopy both the front and back. Then if you lose your purse or wallet you will have your account numbers and the telephone numbers to call immediately to report your loss. Many people don’t even know which credit cards they are carrying and don’t have a clue who to call if they are lost. The faster you call, the faster they can shut down your account against any future charges.

·       Never give our your SSN (USA) or SIN (Canada) except for tax purposes, banking or employment requirements. Do not keep your SSN or SIN in your wallet for obvious reasons.

·       Never give out financial or personal information over the phone unless you are the one who initiated the call and you know the person and the company to be reliable.

·       Be creative in coming up with passwords. Don’t use birth dates, pet names or anything that can be easily guessed or recognized. It’s best to use a combination of letters and numbers and change them a few times each year.

·       Do not throw anything like pre-approved credit card letters, bank statements, phone bills, credit card receipts, etc. into the garbage. Always shred them first.

·       Never open any e-mails or attachments you are unfamiliar with. Be especially aware when someone is offering something for free and wants personal information in exchange for sending it to you.

If this alarms you and you need further information on how to protect yourself, simply click here Protection and see what I have done to protect my family against future identity fraud and theft.