How to Protect Your Identity

If you would like do-it-yourself identity protection tips, you can find them here. Follow these suggestions to reduce your risk of becoming an identity theft victim.

• Don't carry large amounts of personal information with you. The identifying information you carry in your purse or wallet should be kept to a minimum. Purses and wallets are easily stolen, and you don't want the thief to have such easy access to sensitive personal information. Avoid carrying social security cards, too many credit cards, or passports with you if possible.
• Protect your PIN number. A basic principle of identity protection is to protect your credit card and PIN number when making purchases or using ATMs. Identity thieves often obtain critical information by "shoulder surfing," or lurking over credit card users shoulders at ATMs and check-out stands. Shield the keypad with your hand every time you use your card.
• Don't throw away ATM and credit card receipts. These receipts can be easily stolen by thieves when thrown away in public places. For the best identity protection, always take receipts with you and shred them at home.
• Don't give out your personal identifying information. Never give out personal information unless you have initiated the communication, and you're sure you're dealing with the right person or company. One of the most common scams identity thieves use is calling consumers pretending to be a creditor and asking for personal information.
• Be careful when buying online. Always buy from major retailers that have a secure network and an encrypted ordering system. For identity protection purposes, make sure that the URL of the page on which you order begins with "https," indicating a secure site.
• Review your account statements carefully. You can't count on your creditors for complete identity protection; they won't always catch suspicious activity on your accounts. For this reason, you need to monitor your credit card and bank statements regularly to catch any signs of potential fraud. If you see something that looks out of place, contact your creditor immediately and consider filing a fraud alert with the credit bureaus.
• Use strong passwords for all of your accounts. Your creditors will allow you to put passwords on your accounts. If you have a password, anyone who contacts the creditor will need to have it in order to discuss the account or access any information about it. The password can apply to both phone and online communication. Make sure you choose a password that does not contain any part of your address, social security number, or phone number. Ideally, your password should be a mix of letters and numbers. If you write your passwords down, store them in a secure place.