Protect Your Identity Week: How Safe Are You…Really?
Last year, 8.4 million people across the U.S. were victims of identity theft. Amounting to more than $49 billion in lost funds, identity theft in 2007 was a lucrative business for criminals in the know.
But the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) says it doesn’t have to be that way. The organization is spearheading National Protect Your Identity Week Oct. 19-25 in order to educate citizens on how to protect their accounts, their funds and their identity.
Sponsored by such well-known organizations as the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), National Protect Your Identity Week will include tips, information and commonsense ways on how ID criminals work, as well as what you can do to help stop them in their tracks. We’ve outlined a few great ways to keep yourself safe from becoming a victim and making 2008 your safest year yet.
Simple Steps Toward Your Protection
As scary as the thought of ID theft is, there are steps you can take right now to begin protecting your identity. According to experts, the following will go a long way toward keeping your identity in your own hands:
* Have checks mailed to your bank, not your house. Your checks contain information that are an ID thief’s dream, including, of course, your bank account number. Instead, have new checks mailed to your bank and pick them up in person once they arrive.
* Don’t keep your Social Security in your wallet. Experts agree: Your Social Security card is the ultimate key to your identity. If a thief gets a hold of your wallet, your Social Security card could give him access to virtually every recorded part of your life. Instead, keep the card at home in a fire-safe box.
* If a credit card is lost (or stolen), report it IMMEDIATELY. Don’t wait to call your credit card company. In the hands of a practiced criminal, it can take literally minutes to wipe out large portions of your account.
* NEVER give your personal information over the phone. Even if the call sounds legitimate (for example, an individual states she is a representative of a company you do business with and even has your account number), don’t give ANY personal ID out over the phone. Instead, say this is a bad time and that you will call the person back. Do follow up by calling the bank or other institution and explaining the phone call. They may wish to follow up by warning other customers of potential fraud.
* Get a current credit report. Experts recommend that you obtain an updated credit report every 12 months. You can monitor suspicious activity this way and can be quicker to question erroneous charges.
Investing In Your Peace of Mind
You can also help protect yourself by investing in a few easy ways to keep criminals away from your ID. For example, purchase a quality paper shredder. Simply tearing up mail and other documents before throwing them away isn’t always effective. A patient thief will take the time to put the pieces together and read your info. Buy a shredder and make a habit of shredding identifying information before you toss it in the trash.
Another smart idea is to infest in a credit monitoring protection program. Smart consumers are flocking to this new and effective way to prevent theft and misuse of their identification, and with good reason. By notifying you of suspicious activity on your credit report, credit cards or in other ways, a good credit monitoring protection program can help spare you the grief of ruined credit and a wiped-out nest egg or checking account.
Don’t wait to do what it takes to protect your identity. Learn all you can during National Identity Protection Week…and stay aware so you and your loved ones can have peace of mind.
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