Preventing Identity Theft

It’s the hi-tech crime of the millennium. Nobody mugs you or holds you at gunpoint. In fact, you don’t even see the perpetrator It’s all done online, through the mail, and over the telephone. It’s called identity theft. But the results are just as devastating - loss of privacy, theft of money, and difficulty in regaining your good financial standing.

The perpetrators accomplish identity theft by intercepting mail, sending fraudulent emails, and/or making phone calls - all attempting to get your social security number, your credit card numbers, or other numbers that identify you as a unique individual. They then attempt to empty your account and/or set up new ones to buy goods or services, with you footing the bill.

Here are a few tactics to help you avoid identity theft:

• Deposit outgoing mail at the post office and promptly remove mail from you mailbox after delivery - never leave mail in your mailbox overnight or on weekends.
• Shred or tear unwanted documents that contain personal information before discarding them in trash.
• Order and thoroughly review copies of your credit report from at least one of the major credit reporting agencies annually.
• Never give personal identifying information over the telephone or the Internet unless YOU initiated the contact.
• Don’t let any one “shoulder surf’ you at ATMs. If you sense someone is watching you, cancel the transaction immediately and leave.