Identify Theft: Consumer Beware

One of the biggest threats to personal safety in the digital age is identity theft. With just a few pieces of information about you, a complete stranger here or on the other side of the planet can use your private information for their personal gain – while destroying your credit in the process.

This guide will tell you ways that your information can be stolen and how to prevent it from happening.

Ways to Prevent Identity Theft

Keep personal information in a safe place

In other words, don’t leave credit and bank statements lying around at home. Anything that could be used to steal your information, including checkbooks, social security information and bills should be kept in a secure, private location.

Beware of mail theft

Try not to mail checks from your home or places where your mail could be tampered with. When possible, try and drop off checks and payments directly to your local post office. Additionally, have any new checks delivered to your bank and pick them up there, rather than having the risk of them being taken from your mailbox.

Guard your garbage

We don’t mean for you to guard your trash can in a literal sense, we just mean that you should be careful about what you throw away. In many cases, identity thieves acquire information through discarded paper documents – not online. This means that you should destroy or shred any documents that include personal information before you throw them away.

Review Your Bank Statements Online

If your bank offers the service of online account management, take advantage of it. Online banking gives you instant access to your bank accounts, allowing you to quickly detect any unauthorized charges. If you catch an unauthorized charge early, the chances of catching the thief and reducing the amount of money stolen are much higher.