Ways to Protect your Identity
Statistics say that there were over 14 million recorded identity thefts in a span of 2 years (January 2001 to middle of May 2003) in the US alone. Imagine what the statistics are like worldwide. United States Victims ended up shedding a total of $4 Billion out of their own money. The number has only gone up since then. By reading this article, I hope you will learn how to avoid being another identity theft statistic. Here are some things you can do to protect your credit and your identity from thieves. Remember that you can never 100% protect yourself against identity theft as we use our personal information to purchase stuff everyday. However, you can definitely mitigate the risks.
1. Be careful of people nearby who look like the are snoopy. These are people who try to take a peek at what you are doing over your shoulders Always be alert of your surroundings when you are working in a public space. Try to have a privacy screen when you are working in public, such as a library. Always remember the more people there are at any one place, the bigger the chance that there is an onlooker.
2. Destroy all sensitive data, paper or digital. If it is a paper document, shred it until it is unrecognizable. If it is digital, thoroughly erase all information. If you are not giving it away or selling it, I recommend destroying the hard drive with a hammer. If you are giving away your computer or selling it, always use top of the line software to wipe your data completely. Experts recommend going over your data twice to make sure nothing is left on.
3. Make sure to always secure your digital devices (ie laptops and mobile devices) with a password. Internet access is widespread nowadays so hackers can hack into your device if left unguarded. When it comes to your home network, always have a password-protected firewall with encryption. Hackers are always on the prowl for open home networks to hack. On my Android device, I also have an app that secures my sensitive apps with a password.
4. Have an alarm system. Even a sign that you have a home security system is usually a good deterrent as thieves are very wary of houses with security system. Once the alarm goes off, they have to make a run for it or else they will get caught. Alarm systems usually take awhile to disarm and so are often-times not worth it.
5. Make sure to enroll in a credit monitoring service such as TrueCredit. These services will alert you of any odd happenings on your credit report. It is also helpful to have fraud protection with your credit card issuer and checking account. They are very good at identifying unusual purchases and will alert you of such. Also be sure to get fraud protection on your credit cards if you do not have it already.
Cases of identity theft are only growing each year. As technology progresses, identity thieves have more tools to use at their arsenal. As so, we need to be careful with our identity. If you take the tips above to heart and take action, you can greatly reduce the risk of you becoming a victim of identity theft.
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