| Don't wait until your identity has been "stolen" to worry | | | | There are a few cautionary things you can do to help |
| about it. Identity fraud is a severe crime with serious | | | | prevent identity theft. After reading your mail, cleaning |
| repercussions that can take months or even years for | | | | your desk at home or work, or cleaning out your car- |
| victims to repair, not to mention hundreds to thousands | | | | do not just throw your personal items in the trash. |
| of dollars. If someone has stolen a credit card, or has | | | | Receipts, utility bills, bank statements, loan statements |
| obtained enough information about you to start | | | | and credit card offers and statements should be |
| applying for new loans and credit cards, your credit | | | | completely destroyed prior to throwing away. Invest in |
| score is going to be adversely effected. You will likely | | | | a paper shredder and shred everything you are |
| have difficulty obtaining a job (employers are making | | | | throwing away to eliminate the possibility of someone |
| credit checks a regular part of the interviewing | | | | finding out information. Alternatively, you could burn |
| process), you'll be denied credit for things you apply for. | | | | your paperwork. When throwing away credit cards, |
| You will have a hard time, if not find it impossible, to | | | | shred them or cut them into many small pieces. |
| obtain college loans, vehicle financing, credit cards, and | | | | It used to be that people felt it would be difficult to use |
| mortgages. In some cases, identity fraud victims may | | | | another person's credit card. After all, you have to sign |
| even be arrested for crimes they haven't committed, | | | | your name when making a purchase with a credit |
| because someone else is living under their name as | | | | card, right? You need to protect your credit cards in |
| well. | | | | the same way that you protect your cash. Merchants |
| How does identity theft happen? Most people are | | | | rarely check that the signature on the back of a credit |
| fairly careful with their personal information, so how | | | | card matches the signature that is signed on a receipt |
| can someone steal the "identity" of another human | | | | when a purchase is made. |
| being and get away with it? | | | | If you have lost a credit card, or it has been stolen, |
| There are many ways identity thieves are able to get | | | | report the situation to your creditor immediately. The |
| personal information from people. In some cases, the | | | | credit card company will put a hold on the account to |
| thieves work for companies where they have access | | | | prevent any purchases from going through- and they |
| to individual records via a computer or through paper | | | | can also track the location where someone has |
| files. Sometimes, a person doesn't even need access | | | | attempted to use the card. This will help in the efforts |
| to the information, they'll just hack into the computer | | | | to find the thief. When you are dining at a restaurant, |
| system and retrieve the information they need to steal | | | | be mindful of paying with a credit card. Most waiters |
| someone else's identity. One of the most traditional | | | | will take your card to the register to process it, and the |
| ways for someone to obtain your personal information | | | | card is out of your sight during this time. How do you |
| is by going through your mail. Whether they steal it right | | | | know the waiter or someone else isn't writing the |
| from your mailbox or find it in the garbage, if someone | | | | numbers and name down from your credit card to use |
| finds bank or credit card statements, checks that have | | | | it for online purchases later on? Consider paying with |
| been voided but not ripped up, new credit card offers | | | | cash whenever you are at a restaurant. |
| and tax related information, they usually have enough | | | | The biggest precaution you can take on a regular |
| information to become "you". People who go through | | | | basis is to view your credit card statements and bank |
| garbage containers are known as "dumpster divers", | | | | statements as soon as you receive them. Look for |
| and will often be found looking for information in public | | | | any purchases that you did not make, and call the |
| trash areas and business dumpsters. | | | | credit card company immediately if you find something |
| There are people and businesses in the world that | | | | you are unsure of. If identity theft is caught early on, it |
| have a legitimate right to access another person's | | | | can often be stopped before it gets out of hand. Also |
| credit report. These people include landlords, | | | | keep track of whether or not you're receiving your |
| employers, and businesses that must run credit reports | | | | statements every month. If you are missing a credit |
| prior to extending credit. Identity thieves often become | | | | card statement, call the company to verify the |
| employed at these organizations in order to obtain | | | | address it's being mailed to. It's possible that someone |
| access to the personal information they need to do | | | | filled out a change of address form at the post office |
| their crime. | | | | or with the credit card company, and is receiving your |
| Opportunities for thieves to find your information are | | | | statements at a different address with intent to use |
| endless. Identity thieves are smart; you have to be | | | | the information. |
| smarter. | | | | |