Tips for Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft

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You may be asking yourself, “Why do I have to protect myself against identity theft?” Everyone is a potential victim of identity fraud, and if rates continue to rise, soon everyone will know at least one person who has been a victim of identity theft. This is the sad truth of the world today. Protecting yourself against identity theft just makes sense.

Often, the mail leaves the average consumer at a disadvantage. All those papers in envelopes might be necessary bills and/or pre-approved offers that make you think someone is taking notice of your hard-earned credit rating, but it could be the wrong people paying attention. Mail can come from thieves looking to steal your personal information and make you the victim of identity theft.

You can reduce the chances of your falling for a scheme like this by keeping a close watch on the kinds of mail you receive and when. You can also switch to online statements where possible thereby reducing the amount of mail in your mailbox.

Telephone and other utility bills always display customer addresses, account numbers, and telephone numbers. All this information can be useful to an identity thief, as can the information stolen from a driver’s license renewal or monthly credit card statement. Remember one of the best rules to prevent identity theft: what you throw away can hurt you.

A wealth of information can be found on pay stubs, bank statements and pre-approved credit card offers. Did you know that these private documents contain your name, address and account numbers?

Did you know that some employers would put your social security number on your pay stub just for filing purposes? To help prevent identity theft, keep these papers close to you so they do not fall into they wrong hands — or shred them to guard against identity theft.

Thieves even go as far as digging through your trash — a practice called “Dumpster Diving” — to get that one little piece of information that could turn you into a victim of identity theft.

Many people throw out papers in the garbage, thinking no one would touch them amongst the food scraps. Think again. Do your best to remember to destroy any personal information and you’ll be doing your job in protecting yourself against identity theft.