Info-graphic chart
Garrett Bond/6th period
10 ways to prevent identity theft
- 1.GUARD YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
- 2.MEMORIZE PIN NUMBERS
- 3.SHRED PERSONAL INFORMATION
- 4.CARRY A MINIMUM OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
- 5.MONITOR BANK STATEMENTS AND CREDIT CARD BILLS
- 6.SECURE YOUR MAIL
- 7.TREAT PERSONAL INFORMATION WITH CARE
- 8.INSTALL A FIREWALL
- 9.CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT
- 10.CONSULT WITH A CPA
1. GUARD YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
Give out your social number out only when necessary.
2.MEMORIZE PIN NUMBERS
When creating passwords or personal identification numbers (PINs), do not use the last four digits of your Social Security number, your birthday, your mother’s maiden name or anything else that could easily be discovered by thieves. Don’t write down your PINs or passwords. Instead, commit them to memory.
3.SHRED PERSONAL INFORMATION
Shred or finely tear any documents that contain personal information. This includes bank statements, credit reports, credit card offers, charge receipts, insurance forms, checks and bank statements.
4.CARRY A MINIMUM OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Don’t carry extra credit cards, your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport in your wallet or purse, unless you need it. As a precaution, make copies of your credit cards, and record your bank and investment account numbers. Keep this information in a secure place, along with the telephone numbers for customer service or the fraud department for each, so you can quickly notify them if an issue arises.
5.MONITOR BANK STATEMENTS AND CREDIT CARD BILLS
Thoroughly check your credit card and bank statements each month for unauthorized or fraudulent activity. You should also pay attention to your billing cycles, and follow up with your bank or creditors if bills or statements don’t arrive on time. A missing bill or statement could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address to cover his tracks.
6. SECURE YOUR MAIL
Identity thieves have been known to raid mailboxes for personal information. Promptly remove delivered mail from your mailbox. Deposit outgoing mail in post office mailboxes or at your local post office, rather than leaving it in your mailbox. If you will be away from home for an extended time, ask the post office to hold your mail.
7. TREAT PERSONAL INFORMATION WITH CARE
Don’t divulge personal information on the phone or the Internet, unless you have initiated the contact and know the company is reputable.
8. INSTALL A FIREWALL
A firewall on your computer may help to prevent hackers from obtaining personal identifying information and financial data from your hard drive. And before disposing of your computer, remove data by using a strong “wipe” utility program. Don’t rely solely on the delete function to remove files containing sensitive information.
9. CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT
Review your credit report at least once a year to check for errors and fraudulent use of your account. Consumers can now get a free copy of their credit report annually.
10. CONSULT WITH A CPA
If you think your identity has been stolen, a CPA can help you take steps to remedy the problem.