Facts about identity theft

Identity theft. We all think about it. Did you know that approximately 30,000 identities are stolen (read as 30,000 lives are ruined) each day in the US? To me, that's scary. I've heard some people tell me "Well, I'm not worried about someone stealing my identity because if they did, it would have to be cleaned up before they can use it". But identity theft doesn't just include thinkgs like your social security number and banking information but also your drivers license and medical bills and even medical insurance. Wikipedia defines identity theft as a form of fraud in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit or other benefits in that person's name.

So how can we protect our name, our credit and everything we've worked hard to build? Here are some tips on guarding your identity.

1. Never carry your social security card with you. Memorize the number. Know who you are giving this information to and only give it when absolutely necessary. A good safeguard to remember when asked to give a social security number is does a notice of privacy and protection accompany the request.

2. Shred personal documents. Use either a diamond or cross-cut shredder. This is probably one of the best investments you'll ever make. When disposing of the shreddings, add a layer of protection by using an opaque bag for the shreddings. Personal documents are anything that has any kind of information about you at all. Name, address, place of employment, phone numbers, medical doctors are just a few examples of personal informationon documents to shred when they are no longer needed.

3. Treat your mail with care. If you have a box out by the road, put a lock on it to deter thieves. Or have all of your mail delivered to a post office box. When you pay bills, never mail the checks from your home mailbox. That's one of the top ways thieves steal your personal information. When the red flag tells the postman there is outgoing mail, it also tells thieves there is possibly something worth stealing in your mailbox. Go to a post office or use one of their drop off boxes to mail your bills. Don't have checks for your banking account delivered to your home mailbox. Make arrangements with your bank to pick these up.

4. Monitor paymnent/billing cycles. Know when your credit card statements and bank statements arrive during the month. That way if you notice one is late, you can call the company to see if they have already sent your statement. This is one way to know early if your identity has been compromised before massive bills have been run up in your name.

5. Use the internet with caution. This one is self-explanatory. Beware. There are a lot of scams that look legitimate on the internet. Some scammers will send "phishing" emails asking you to verify your account information. These emails will look like they are professional and from a company you do business with. If unsure, contact the company directly by phone to see if they need account verification from you.

6. Make your passwords secure. Things like birthdays, middle names, and anniversary dates can easily be figured out by someone looking to take your information. Use something only you know. Don't share your passwords. If you write them down, keep them in a secure location.

7. Review activity on your credit report frequently. Close unused accounts. Use a credit report monitoring company. There are several to choose from. Equifax.com, Identityguard.com, and Lifelock.com all offer great services for protecting your identity.

8. Store personal documents securely. New books of checks, passports, social security cards, credit card account information, medical records, birth certificates need to be kept out of view and away from public access. I reccommend using a fire proof lock box for protecting your personal documents.

For more information on this topic, consult the Identity Theft Resource Center which is a non-profit organization that provides public education on identity theft. www.idtheftcenter.org

Also, the US government,The Federal Trade Commission, operates a website offering information about identity theft. www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft.