Nine million Americans will suffer from the theft of their identities this year alone. This is an ever increasing problem as there were only 4 million cases as recently as 2003. Don't be one of these people! This article will explore 5 tips to prevent identity theft.
First of all, don't give out information over the telephone. If you have initiated the call, you may feel more comfortable giving out your credit card or social security data. But, if someone calls you, clam up.
Secondly, shred any paper that has identifying information on it. The so called "dumpster divers" are more than happy to take your information right off the page. They don't mind getting a little dirty if it means hitting pay dirt.
A third of my tips to prevent identity theft is to get anti virus protection on your computer. Computer hackers have gotten increasingly sophisticated. They can read your passwords and thus get into your private accounts. By purchasing the latest computer security systems, you minimize the risk of being an identity theft victim through hacking.
Fourth, don't carry every credit card you own. If your wallet is stolen, you only have to deal with the vulnerability of a couple of cards. And, don't ever carry your social security card with you. Unless you are filling out a job hiring form, there is never a need to show the actual card. Criminals can use the card for a variety of nefarious reasons.
Finally, realize that you can't monitor everything yourself. Get identity theft protection insurance. These companies will monitor your financial and personal accounts to make sure that nothing untoward is going on. If they identify a problem, they bear the responsibility for fixing it.
Those are my top 5 tips to prevent identity theft.
