You will know it is going to be a bad day if you receive bills or debt collection calls for merchandize you did not buy. This is one of the indications that someone has stolen your identity. Someone who steals your identity also might apply for credit, file taxes, or get medical services in your name. Recovering from what an identity thief can do to you can hurt your credit, cost you much money, and require a lot of time and effort. You might not even know your identity has been stolen until the identity thief has done extensive damage to your life.
This article considers different ways to protect yourself from identity theft. If these prevention safeguards seem like too much of a hassle, know that recovering from identity theft can take years and would be much more difficult. Those who steal identities do not care about the commandment, “Thou shalt not steal.”
One of the fastest and easiest ways to limit the fallout if your identity is stolen is proactively to freeze your credit files with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This quick and simple action will stop an identity thief from getting approved for a credit account in your name.
What type of personal information about you can enable an identity thief to steal your identity? Information you should safeguard includes your:
1) Social Security Number
2) Birthdate
3) Bank account number
4) Credit card information
5) Passwords
6) Address
7) Cell phone number
Some good practices include:
1) Avoiding public wi-fi
2) Collecting your mail every day or putting it on hold if away from home for several days.
3) Watching for unauthorized transactions on your credit card and bank statements.
4) Frustrating “dumpster divers” by shredding sensitive information before disposing of it.
5) Having firewalls and virus-detection software on your home computer
6) Ordering a free credit report once a year at Annualcreditreport.com.
In the U.S. 33% of Adults have had their identity stolen. You should try not to join them.
Do you know anyone who was a victim of an identity theft? What did they experience?
