Over a half million people a year are victims of identity theft. Besides losing money, these people have to deal with the frustration of cleaning up the mess that results. Here are some tips to safeguard your good name.
Review your bank and credit card statements regularly to look for any unauthorized transactions. Shred anything with sensitive personal information like bills, bank statements and credit card offers before you throw them away. Protect your social security number and birth certificate and never carry either of them in your wallet. Create strong passwords. To make them hard to guess, assume that someone may have some of your personal information and avoid using your birthdate, mother’s maiden name or the last four digits of your social security number. Shop securely online by only using your credit card on websites that begin with HTTPS. This indicates that the site encrypts your data.
If you ever notice anything unusual, contact your creditor immediately and always put your complaint in writing.
