Finance John Brennan on 21 Aug 2008 12:02 pm
Identity Theft Protection: What You Can DO
The battle against identity theft rages on. Everyday, someone carelessly discards a receipt or bill and someone else gives out his or her social security number on the Internet. Everyday, somewhere in the Unites States and across the world, someone becomes a victim of identity theft.
While it can make managing finances easier, getting bills and bank statements by mail does put you at risk of identity theft. Getting pre-approve offers in the mail is a sign that companies are taking notice of your impressive credit rating but they may not be the only ones taking notice. But just because you receive an offer on official looking letterhead doesn’t mean that it is legitimate and may simply be an excuse to obtain your personal information.
The best way to minimize this danger and prevent identity theft from happening to you is to keep a close eye on the routine times your bills are mailed, as well as minimize the amount of information you receive in the mail. However, knowledge of the kinds of information that come from the postal worker is the best weapon against Identity Theft.
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.
The savvy consumer can also prevent identity theft by keeping a watchful eye on bank statements that come through the mail. These often include your name, address, bank name, contact information, account number and even type of account.
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.
on 21 Aug 2008 at 2:27 pm 1.Self Defense Products Florida said …
Very good article. I just want to remind people the best way to destroy your personal information is to invest in a shredder. You can find them very cheap at Office Depot or Staples, etc., and they will save you a lot of money and headaches in the long run.