Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

The following is a guest post.


Identity theft is on the rise nationwide, as more and more people are getting their names, addresses, and even Social Security numbers stolen and used illegally.  There are many ways you can protect yourself, but here are a few important ones that everyone should do.

The Mail

First, make sure you are protecting your identity on your mail.  If you get credit card offers, make sure that you shred them.  Identity thieves can use that information to open accounts in your name, and you wouldn’t even realize it until after it was done.  Also, never keep mail in your car.  Too many people leave their mail sitting on their dashboards, which allows passers-by to see their name and address.  If it is in your car, keep it concealed, like in the glove box. 

Online

There are many scams online that are trying to steal your identity.  One of the biggest is phishing emails, which look like regular legitimate emails, but are actually fraud.  The scammer is trying to get you to send back your account information so they can take advantage.  To avoid this, only use trusted sites.  If you get an email from your bank, don’t reply.  Instead, go to your bank’s website, or call your bank’s known phone number.  That way, you can make sure you are in the correct spot, and not a scammer’s website.

At Home

Finally, at home, make sure that you are not disposing of sensitive documents in the trash.  Many people clean out their files in the Spring around tax time, and they don’t know what to do with all those old bank statements and brokerage statements.  It is essential that you shred these documents.  If you don’t have a shredder, many community centers or local Chambers of Commerce offer shredding days or recycling days, where you can dispose of these documents securely, for free. 

Whatever you do, remember that your identity is the only one you have.  You need to take these simple steps to protect it, because if someone does get a hold of your personal information, it can be costly and time consuming to get it resolved.  

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