10 Ways to Thwart Identity Thieves
dan tynan on Feb 03 2008 at 11:00 am | Filed under: Family Circle, Identity Theft, Privacy
(Originally published in the February 2008 issue of Family Circle magazine.)
How to Thwart ID Thieves
- Never keep your Social Security Number in your wallet.
- Refuse to share your SSN, date of birth, or mother’s maiden name with any entity other than your employer, bank, insurance company, or the IRS. When other parties ask for this information, insist they accept a substitute such as a different date or name, or only the last four digits of your SSN.
- If your mailbox doesn’t have a lock, replace it with one that does or consider switching to a P.O. box.
- Destroy (preferably in a cross-cut shredder, available at office supply stores) all junk mail before discarding.
- Store papers containing sensitive information only in a locked cabinet or safe, not in a desk.
- Request your credit reports at least annually.
- Call 888-567-8688 to opt out of receiving preapproved credit or insurance offers.
- Type the address of your bank’s sign-on page into your browser, then bookmark it to access your account as needed.
- Install security software like Norton 360 or Trend Micro PC-cillin and keep it up to date.
- If you use a wireless home network, enable all security functions and choose a password that doesn’t contain any obvious or logical sequences like your first or last name or your birth date.
[...] Since then, Friesen says he keeps a close watch on his monthly statements and his credit reports, and he never carries more than his license and a couple of credit cards on him at any time. (For more tips on how to avoid being a victim, see “10 Ways to Thwart Identity Thieves.”) [...]