Apr
28
8 Ways to Help Prevent Identity Theft
Filed Under Life Insurance
1. Try not to write personal checks to someone that you are not acquainted with. Rather, consider providing cash, a bank draft or a money order. Even if you don’t use Internet banking, anyone can draw out funds from your account using an online service.
2. Before getting rid of your bank statements, you need to be aware of the following – people who steal identities do not generally go inside your house or office. Rather, they go through your trash cans for important information, and often, they find what they were seeking, so obtain a paper shredding machine. You should also consider making use of a identity theft security product.
3. Enroll in paper statements. Most financial institutions deliver customer statements via standard mail. It contains just about all of your bank account data and there is nothing stopping someone from opening it.
4. You will often receive credit card promo checks via regular mail. These are the simplest checks to convert into cold hard cash. Contact your charge card company and request that they quit mailing you those checks. Consider using a identity protection services solution to help protect your personal information.
5. You should know that credit card companies sometimes do not replace the credit card number when they issue new ones. The expiration date is the only thing that changes. Generally, an expired credit card cannot finalize a purchase when swiped, but placing an order online, you may just be asked the card number and the card holder’s name.
6. Ensure that your cards are all signed. The person ringing up your transaction occasionally compares the card user’s signature with the actual one on the credit card, especially when a large amount is involved. To prevent unauthorized use of your credit card, sign the back of the card.
7. Credit offer mails that are pre-approved are something that should concern you much like financial statements. It is simple for a perpetrator to get credit with your name and pre-approved offers for credit. Just like other financial documents, pre-approved offer mailings must be dealt with in the correct way.
8. Try not to use public computers like in ‘hotspots’, workplaces or other public places for applying for credit cards online and checking your credit card or bank accounts. They can be accessed easily by hackers. Even if you do not make use of public computers, make sure you clear the browser cookies after you logout. Find out more about LifeLock to see they have the correct service for your situation.