DID YOU KNOW THAT IDENTITY THEFT IS EASIER THAN EVER BEFORE?

    The internet is used for everything from shopping to paying bills, getting directions to doing banking, and for playing games to working. The Federal Trade Commission stated that identity theft has topped their complaint list for the past three years, and each year the number of complaints exponentially increases. In a recent investigation, federal authorities disbanded the largest identity theft ring in a case with over 41 million credit and debit cards that had been stolen online. At this rate of advancement in identity thefts, people should expect to have their information stolen at some point during their lifetime and plan ahead on what to do when the identity theft occurs.

    The best approach to identity theft is to take a protective stance before an identity theft can transpire. Once your personal information is stolen online, there are many black market avenues where your vital information can be sold, your financial and personal freedoms will be violated, your credit may be adversely effected, and it may take many months to a year until your name and the fraudulent transactions can be cleared. Although you may not be assured that your credit card company doesn’t get hacked, you can take some steps to limit your own possibilities of becoming an identity theft statistic. Here are a few preventive approaches you can take to protect your personal and financial confidentiality.

1. Proctor You Social Security Number- You should keep your social security number in a locked file cabinet away from any observers, and not in your wallet. Do not provide your Social Security number to anyone on the telephone, and only provide it when absolutely necessary, such as on a job application or for a passport.

    

2. Shred Your Paperwork- When you need to dispose of any paperwork that contains your personal identifying information, such as name, date of birth, social security number or phone number, use a shredder. Identity thefts will grouse through garbage to get information that will make you an identity theft victim.

    

3. Lock Your Mailbox- Your mailbox should be locked, and all of your mail should be held at the post office if you will be gone for more than one day. In addition, do not leave your paid bills in the mailbox for the carrier to pick up as this is just making identity theft easy.

    

4. Proctor Your Banking Statements and Bills- Taking the time to review and reconciling your bank statements and bills on a monthly basis will give you the database for determining if there are any discrepancies. If you see something abnormal, such as a bill from a state you never visited, then immediately call the credit card company or the bank to rectify the situation.

    

5. Use a Spam Filter- This may seem obvious, but do not open e-mails or solicitations online from an unknown source. Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail, and do not make donations online unless you are sure that the site is secure. You may have to upgrade your spam settings and computer security systems often, but the rewards will be to have some peace of mind at least on your home computer.

1. Notify Law Enforcement Agencies- Identity theft is a crime and needs to be dealt with as soon as you notice the problem. You need to inform your local police immediately as this may be part of a larger scheme and you will quell the use of your information sooner. You should also file a complaint at the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Hotline toll free number: (877) 438- 4338. You can also file your identity theft complaint with the federal Internet Crime Complaint Center at: www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx.

    

Check the Internet Site Before Doing Business- Before you make a purchase, donation, or transact any type of business online, check to make sure that the site is secure. You can check this function online by checking the browser window to make sure it says “https” in the financial transaction area. Those letters stand for “secure hyper text transfer protocol”, and you should not use the site for any purchases if this isn’t present.