Identity Theft Protection: What You Can DO
There are no easy solutions in the war against identity theft. Victims are innocent people like you who have just bought something over the internet with a credit card, or who may have forgotten to shred up a bank statement. We are all potential victims for the crime. Chances are, you know someone who has not taken the proper steps in protecting themselves against identity theft. Don’t let that someone be you.
Often, the mail leaves the average consumer at a disadvantage. All those papers in envelopes might be necessary bills and/or pre-approved offers that make you think someone is taking notice of your hard-earned credit rating, but it could be the wrong people paying attention. Mail can come from thieves looking to steal your personal information and make you the victim of identity theft.
One way that you can reduce the risk of this occuring is to monitor the times your bills are sent. You can also try to reduce the amount of mail you receive. The biggest weapon you have is just being aware of what’s possible.
Telephone and other utility bills always display customer addresses, account numbers, and telephone numbers. All this information can be useful to an identity thief, as can the information stolen from a driver’s license renewal or monthly credit card statement. Remember one of the best rules to prevent identity theft: what you throw away can hurt you.
Bank statements, pre-approved credit card offers and paycheck stubs are all gold-mines of information for criminals to turn you into a victim of identity theft.
These seemingly harmless pieces of paper usually contain your name, address, account number, bank name and location. On some pay stubs, your employer may even include your social security number. Take care of these sensitive documents: shred them to help defend yourself against identity theft.
Thieves even go as far as digging through your trash — a practice called “Dumpster Diving” — to get that one little piece of information that could turn you into a victim of identity theft.
Many people throw out papers in the garbage, thinking no one would touch them amongst the food scraps. Think again. Do your best to remember to destroy any personal information and you’ll be doing your job in protecting yourself against identity theft.