Preventing Identity Theft- Ways to Lower Your Risk

Check your credit reports every year!
We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again. Whether or not you have any identity theft symptoms, this step is absolutely vital. If an identity thief uses your SSN to open a new credit card account with a fake address and phone number, you may not find out about it
until the damage is done—unless you check your credit report periodically.

Keep track of your billing cycles.
A missing bill doesn’t mean that the credit card company is giving you a month off. It may mean a thief has changed your address. Call and figure out why they don’t seem to want your money.

Examine your financial statements like an obsessed accountant.
As soon as a statement arrives, go over it carefully to make sure you really bought all that stuff. If you didn’t, deal with it right away. (If you did, give yourself a moment to recover from the shock—you really bought all that stuff?)

Guard your mail from theft.
Pick it up as soon as the mailman puts it down—otherwise some well-meaning thief might figure you don’t want it. When you order new checks, go get them yourself from the bank instead of having them mailed. And burn some extra calories by taking your outgoing mail to a drop box rather than leaving it in your mailbox. Does all that sound like too much trouble? A locked mailbox also does the trick nicely. If you live in a particularly high-crime area, con¬sider playing it extra safe with a P.O. box. And finally, if you go on vacation, ask a neighbor to pick up your mail, or call the post office to have your mail held for you.

Invest in a shredder.
When chucking something sensitive, destroy it first. Cross-cut shredders dice your data into tiny squares instead of settling for strips like a traditional shredder. The cross-cut style is your safest bet, unless of course your identity thief really likes puzzles.

Avoid sketchy ATMs.
Some ATMs are set up to copy your bank card as well as give you money. Unless it’s a dire emergency, steer clear of the “KaSh-O-RaMa” at the end of that dark alley.

Be suspicious of unexpected calls.
When a “business” calls or e-mails and asks for personal information, indulge in a little healthy paranoia. Make it a policy not to get personal unless you’re the one who initiated the contact. Even if the caller seems legit, it’s best to double-check.

Put real passwords on your accounts.
Yeah, it’s a hassle, and you might be tempted to use the same short and simple combination for each of your bank and service accounts. Keep in mind, though, that even the densest crook will eventually crack “1234,” and believe it or not, your mother’s maiden name is hardly a government secret. Use a strong password—a “random” eight-character combination of numbers, letters, and symbols—and don’t write it down.

Keep your credit card close, when shopping or eating out.
Watch how clerks handle your plastic so they don’t have a chance to copy it.

Mind your own business, and make sure no one else does.
Keep an eye out for anyone who seems a little too interested in your ATM action, and use your free hand to shield the keypad when you enter your PIN. Likewise, don’t make sensitive phone calls where other people can overhear you.