Identity Theft Protection - What You Should Know

Identity theft protection is a subject we should all learn about, because it can literally happen to anyone. A good place to begin is your purse or wallet - make sure you don't carry any important documents with you that aren't absolutely necessary. A social security card is a good example of an important document that you really don't need to carry with you when you leave your home. If your purse or wallet should be lost or stolen, the less you have in it the better if it ends up in the hands of identity thieves.

Identity thieves will often steal people's mail to gain information about them. If you're going to be away from home for any length of time it might be wise to ask a neighbor to pick up your mail for you, or you can have the post office stop delivery temporarily. If you want to go even further to guard yourself against mail theft, you can have it delivered to a post office box instead of to your home. By filling out a change of address form using your name, identity thieves can even divert your mail to them. Monitor your incoming mail carefully to catch any irregularities. For example, if you notice that monthly bills or magazine subscriptions are missing, check with your postmaster to make sure everything is all right.

Perhaps your job requires frequent domestic or international travel. Using travelers' checks instead of carrying your checkbook is one of the recommended ways to prevent identity theft from occurring. If an identity thief steals your checkbook, he would then have access to your checking account.

Be aware of your surroundings and any persons in the area when using an ATM machine. Anyone nearby may be watching you input your PIN number. A thief will try to steal your ATM card from you if they were able to see you input your pin number. Besides being a horrific experience, the resulting damage to your bank account and credit would be unimaginable. Stay alert, and either use your body to block the keypad, or use your opposite hand to cover it while you're inputting your pin number. This will stop anyone around you being able to see your input.

If you pay attention, and take the necessary steps, you can protect yourself from identity theft. Preventing the loss of your identity is protecting the financial reputation that may have taken you years to establish.

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