Identity Theft Protection
All the Ins and Outs (By Kyle Rickman)
Steps to Prevent Identity Theft
1. Don't carry extra credit cards, birth certificate or passport with you, and preferably not out of your house.
2. Do not give out personal information over the phone or internet
3. Shred everything including personal and financial information
4. Pick up new checks at the bank, not the mailbox
5. Check your credit scores often
6. Create Passwords/Pin #s out of a random selection of letters and numbers
How To Prevent Identity Theft, TransUnion website, www.transunion.com
Steps To Take if Your Identity is Stolen
1. Place a fraud alert on your credit/debit cards and files
2. Monitor your credit reports regularly
3. Close the accounts you believe have been tampered with
4. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
5. Lodge a complaint with the local police in the area you identity was stolen from
6. Change all of your account passwords
"5 Steps to Take if Your Identity is Stolen", Consumerist website, www.consumerist.com