How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft!

There are some real palpable steps you can take to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of one of America's fastest growing crimes, Identity Theft. Most of these are common sense and involve little more than being diligent with your personal information, but there are some specifics to consider. Let's look at some of these.

Don't ever, repeat ever, give your social security number to anyone that doesn't have a legitimate use for it. You know who that would be. Don't carry the document in your wallet or purse. Most people have it memorized anyway (which is no license to go around blabbing it!) and you really don't need to carry it, ever! This piece of information is the most important to safeguard, as lots of damage can be done by someone who shouldn't be, utilizing this number.
 
Don't give your personal information to anyone over the phone if you don't know who they are and why they need it. Most legitimate companies will not ask you for personal information on a phone call you did not initiate. (If you call them, however, expect to be put through the ringer proving your identity, as they want to safeguard your credit line as much as you do).

Take all your receipts and shred these at home along with other sensitive financial information that you no longer need. Typically that means credit cards statements and bills more than a year old. This does not apply to tax documents. See the IRS for information about that.

If you shop online make sure the website you are purchasing from has basic security protocols in place, such as VeriSign and TrustE symbols on their sites. Many people also use a dedicated credit card for all their online transactions, as this makes keeping track of it easier, and also easier to fix if there is a problem.

Monitor your credit card bills closely and review your credit report at least once a year. If you see anything you don't recognize call your credit card company immediately. Keeping an eye on your credit report can pay huge dividends, as fixing an identity theft incident can take years of heartache and bother. If you feel as though you may have been victimized, contact your credit card companies immediately, and also the police. The credit card companies will want a police report to substantiate that there has actually been a crime committed. Make sure to record all your conversations and dealings with everyone during the process. This will prove invaluable.

Protecting yourself from identity theft is a matter of safeguarding your personal information like you would a hundred dollar bill. You wouldn't leave things like that lying around for all to see and expect them to be available to you in the future!