Tips for Protecting Your Identity
Adopting a few precautionary measures can help you protect yourself and your business from identity theft:
- Shred financial and personal documents (do not simply put them in the trash)
- Protect your Social Security Number (do not carry on your person and do not write it on checks)
- Only divulge personal information if you know who you are dealing with (trusted source/business)
- Never click on links sent in unsolicited email
- Never use an obvious password such as birthdate, mother’s maiden name, last four digits of SSN
- Keep all financial/personal information in a secure place
- Only use a credit card online when “https” is in the Web address and the padlock symbol is on the screen
You also should be alert to signs that point to suspicious activity that may indicate you have been a victim of identity theft:
- Bills that do not arrive as expected
- New or unexpected credit card statements
- Sudden denials of credit
- Calls about purchases you did not make
- Unknown charges on financial statements
Scrutinize your credit reports
The law mandates every person may receive one free credit report per twelve months from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion:
Equifax: 800-525-6285
Experian: 888-397-3742
TransUnion: 800-680-7289
TransUnion: 800-680-7289
Scrutinize your credit reports