Ten Steps to Reduce Your Risk of Identity Theft

You have probably heard of & 39; d & 39; identity theft on television or read about it in the newspaper, and you can & 39; d already be aware of these crimes, the damage can cause of the victims and their families. What you may not know, c & 39; is how to protect yourself against such attacks. Here are ten steps that can help you reduce your chances of becoming another d & 39; identity theft statistics.
1. Invest in a shredder - Do not throw anything away without shredding it first. Thieves d & 39; identity dig through trash bags, dumpsters and seeking payment by credit card, cancelled cheques, bills paid, credit card offers and other items that & 39; provide your personal information.
2. Any letter from the post - leave outgoing mail in or on your mailbox is an invitation & 39; that it is stolen by a thief d & 39; identity. Not only can they get all of your personal information from the check, but it may even change the check themselves and cash. Instead, drop it by mail or & 39; another mailbox.
3. Use a post office box - Incoming mail is also a target for thieves d & 39; identity. Your invoices, vouchers, even junk mail can be used by the thieves to steal your personal information. If you have d & 39; a post office box, your mail will be delivered safely to this box.
4. In a non-published phone number - Some identity thieves & 39; d l & 39; will also use the telephone in an attempt to obtain & 39; your personal information. For example, a scam involved a call for & 39; a person & 39; saying that he or she has obtained a government grant, which would be deposited directly into their checking account. Of course, calling & 39; needs of the person to verify the account number to deposit the money & 39;. If your phone number & 39; n is not available, you will not be harassed by these calls.
5. Check your accounts weekly - If you do not already, you should take the & 39; normally check the balances of all your financial accounts on a weekly basis. J & 39; attends the monthly statements & 39; n is not enough, because of & 39; Until then, your account may have been completely discharged.
6. Check your credit report yearly - Each year, you should receive free copies of your credit report and check for any errors, such as credit cards or loans that you & 39; n have ever taken. If you discover that someone now & 39; one uses your identity, you can begin to correct the problem before you have to use your own credit.
7. Remember & 39; access codes and passwords - Never write your & 39; access codes or passwords. No place is a safe place to keep such important information. Keep them in your memory so no one can steal. Also, possibly complicating a simple word or your birthday. It should not be easy for anyone to guess.
8. Keep only basic information on the checks - Cheques should include basic information about you, such as your name and address. Your Social Security number should never be printed on your checks. & 39; If c is the case, then you are basically handing over of the keys of your identity to any thief who comes into contact with your check.
9. Removing unwanted credit card offers - credit card offers you throw can be used by identity thieves d & 39;. They simply fill out the application and modify the & 39; address & 39; d have a card that was sent to them in your name. You should shred, but you can also call 1-888-567-8688 or visit http://www.optoutprescreen.com to opt-out of credit card offers this list, so you stop receiving them.
10. Have only need - Never carry anything in your purse or wallet & 39; which is not required, such as deposit slips further, social security cards, birth certificates, etc. The Personal Information your purse or wallet contains the most valuable, it will be a Thief d & 39; identity in the event of loss or theft.
Although only promised us ten steps, we are turning to additional to help you protect it further.
11. Go electronic - Bank statements, most bills, and many other documents are all available electronically so that you will never & 39; n to worry about their flights out of your mailbox or your trash. Contact your financial institution, credit card companies, utilities and the availability of this option. As an extra bonus, many of these companies offer measures & 39; incentive for people who & 39; s enroll in these programs electronically.
These measures are only a few of the ways you can protect yourself from identity thieves d & 39;. For more suggestions to reduce your risk or details on what & 39; we must do if you have been a victim of identity theft d & 39;, you need to read Identity Theft: A Resource Guide PCSecurityNews.com . L & 39; ebook is available at http://www.pcsecuritynews.com/identity theft.html. cyrus shu



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