Preventing Identity Theft Is Priority One
Identity theft is a severe crime that is growing each year. If you’re a victim of identity theft you might spend months, potentially years, attempting to fix a ruined credit file. A seriously damaged credit file might compromise your opportunities of acquiring a new career, a bank loan, insurance or even renting a house. It’s even possible to be arrested for a crime you didn’t commit if an individual has utilized your identity to break the law.
Sadly, many of the means that crooks use to steal identities are out of your control to shield against. Even though it is seldom, even store clerks have been known to utilize their position to send along information to identity thieves. There are certain measures you can take, however, that will make it more difficult for a criminal to swipe your identity.
Guard Your Credit Card Number When Making Buys
After you make a purchase and your credit card or debit card has been processed through a credit card machine, inspect to be certain that the printed receipt disguises each number but the last four digits of your credit card account number (often there will be X’s in place of the 1st 12 digits). Some machines still print receipts that display all 16 digits of an account number, and might even have the expiration date too. After your card is swiped, you’re permitted legally to conceal the 1st 12 digits of your account number on the copy of the receipt that the seller retains. Utilize any marking pen that can do the deed.
When you go to a restaurant, it is primarily important to be certain that the 1st 12 digits of your credit card number are masked on your receipt. You might be in the custom of signing it and then leaving the restaurant’s duplicate receipt on the dinner table after your meal. A criminal could conveniently steal the endorsed duplicate receipt prior to the waitperson coming back around to pick it up from the dinner table. Don’t take any risks.
Do You Really Need To Offer Your Social Security Number?
Another important way that you could guard against identity theft is to avoid offering your social security number unless it is definitely necessary. Although you need to give your social security number when you apply for a loan or for a bank account, on occasion a business or an organization will need to use it as an identification number, only to identify you within their system. This is a common procedure even though the law says that social security numbers are not to be maintained as identification numbers. In these situations, use your judgment. There’s usually an alternative if you inquire.
Destroy Forms That Contain Sensitive Personal Information
Purchase a paper shredder and apply it to terminate forms you’re getting rid of which contain personal data such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, phone numbers and dates of birth. This is important to do both at home and at work. Identity thieves aren’t above going through someone’s trash to acquire valuable personal data that could help them get credit in your name.
If The Worst Occurs
If you do turn into a victim of identity theft, take the following measures immediately:
* Communicate with your credit card companies, stop your accounts and request to have new cards issued to you.
* Install a fraud alert on your record with any one of the three major credit reporting agencies. The other two will be informed automatically.
* Put in a police report. You may be required to have it to show to creditors as evidence of the crime.
* Put in a complaint with the FTC, which preserves a database of identity theft cases used by legal agencies for their investigations.
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