7 Steps to Protect Your Identity

Identity theft is big business. It’s a growing industry. Take these 7 steps to ensure your financial identity and personal safety.

1. Buy a shredder. Use it every time you handle your personal papers. Open your mail near the shredder. Shred every page that has your name and/or address on it. Advertisers are clever – look inside the bills and catalog inserts for the printed personal info. Shred the identifying parts and recycle the rest. This is good for you and for the environment.
2. Protect yourself from identity theft by never unwittingly giving out any personal information over the phone. Do not tell callers or phone solicitors the 3-digit security code on the back of your credit or debit card. Remember, the credit card companies will not call you to verify that number. They have it in their files. Only scammers posing as security personnel do this. Do not fall prey to their scheme. Don’t be intimidated by these callers either. Don’t debate or discuss. Hang up!
3. Do not automatically provide identifying information when requested to do so. Don’t share your phone number, address, or other data without thinking about it. Why do they want or need it? Do not assume there is a valid reason to provide the information. Remember also that the people in your general vicinity – in line behind you – will hear your response.
4. You can protect yourself from possible identity theft by not leaving bill payments in outside mailboxes with the red flag up. Your checks have personal information on them including your account number and the bank routing numbers that can be misused. Drop outgoing mail off at the post office, or hand it to a postman.
5. Are you still using checks to pay bills? It’s so old school. Time to enter the 21st century. Pay as many bills as possible online. Exercise caution and use common sense. Go to the vendor’s website and find out how to pay online. Most vendors let you pay online for free. Or check with your bank; see what it charges to pay all your bills from the bank’s website. Online payment is convenient, inexpensive, and safer than paying by check. Additionally, you don’t risk a late payment that may decrease your credit score.
6. Leave your credit cards, and other identifying information like your social security card at home in a secure place. This helps you in two ways. First, it minimizes your risk of losing or having the cards stolen. Second, you are less likely to make impulse purchases if you don’t have your credit or debit cards with you.
7. Explain the concept of confidential information to your elementary and high school children. Discuss ways to keep household information private, especially if your kids use the computer. Give your children permission not to answer every question an adult asks. If the question feels intrusive, your kids should be coached to say they are not allowed to provide personal or family information to non-family members. You may need to role play this with them. Pose as a neighbor and ask your child questions you’ve instructed her not to answer. Help her avoid unwittingly providing family information.

What precautions do you use to protect your family’s identity and safety? Please share your tips with us. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

Warmly,
Judith