ID Theft Risks May Accompany Holiday Shopping
Tis the season to be careful, according to experts in the field of ID theft and theft prevention.
Shopping is projected to be down this year as opposed to previous years due to a flagging economy. Even so, criminals will have a watchful eye out, waiting for harried consumers to look the other way.
Because more purchases are made around the holidays, and because both husband and wife may be buying off the same credit cards, an extra withdrawal or two could easily be missed. The rushed quality of the season also makes people more lax than usual about keeping up with the comings and goings of their bank accounts and credit cards.
An Extra Pair of Eyes
It may not be possible to slow down the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but help is available for people worried about identity theft.
Investing in a high-quality credit monitoring service is one of the best ways to watchdog your accounts. Try a service that is capable of checking your credit daily in order to warn you of loan applications, unexpected spending or other red flags. A good credit monitoring service may also provide such amenities as credit analysis.
You may also look into an identity theft prevention service, with such features as fraud block and help in the event that you should be erroneously approached by authorities for an ID thief’s actions.
Customizing Your Monitoring/Prevention Service
Before purchasing a credit monitoring or identity theft prevention service, shop around. Find the service that will best provide for your personal needs, as well as the places you want extra protection.
Three trusted ID theft prevention/monitoring services are listed here; see the glossary of terms at the bottom for added information.
Other Ways to Protect Yourself
You can also help protect yourself from ID theft–at the holidays and all year long–by keeping the following tips in mind:
- Never carry your social security card in your wallet. Your social security card is the “gateway to your identity”. Keep it at home, in a firesafe box.
- Never give private information to a company claiming to be making you a special credit card offer, and beware of “your” bank contacting you with the claim that they are “updating their records” or have “lost” pertinent information.
- Cover keypads when entering your PIN number.
- Get a free copy of your credit report yearly and check it thoroughly.
- Never click on a link in any suspicious-looking e-mail.
- Shred personal information before putting it into the recycling bin.
- Report any suspicious account activity IMMEDIATELY to the appropriate authorities.
Using the above tips, you can help keep your season merry, bright…and identity-theft free.
