Identity Theft - A Healthy Dose Of Paranoia
You have probably heard this sometimes humurous comment “Just because you are paranoid, doesn’t mean someone’s not out to get you.” It sounds funny in some ways, but in other ways it doesn’t. In the case of identity theft, a healthy dose of paranoia can save you from being the victim of this insidious crime.
Now, what do I mean by a “healthy dose” of paranoia? Is there such a thing? I think there is. What I mean by this is simple: Keep a close eye on your personal information and bills as though your life depended on it! Because it does when you think about it. It can mean the difference betwen good credit and a financial nightmare.
Billing
Cons are trying to sneak charges on your bills through online sources. Most of the time, they are small charges, not really meant to draw attention to themselves. A good rule of thumb to follow is simply this: If you have questions about charges on any of your bills (particularly credit card bills), ask about them! Don’t just let them go by you!
Retail Stores
Guard your credit card info! There are a couple of ways people get their credit card information stolen. The first is thru mini card readers. These small devices can store several thousand credit card numbers. These numbers can then be sold or used on the black market to the expense of the card holder. Would be thieves can use them in restaraunts, pizza parlors, any retail store, or anyplace that a credit card can be used. They are very small and easily concealed by the would be thief. In these cases, it is a good idea to keep an eye on your card at all times.
Phone Calls
It is not a good idea to give out credit card information, or personal information of any kind, over the phone. Why? Thieves still use this form of communincation to scam others out of their hard earned money. When dealing with people on the phone, request information to be sent to you via the U.S. Mail. If they are legitimate, they shouldn’t mind. You can use the information found on their envelope to check them out.
Social Security Information
Never give out your social security number over the phone or even in public! When you do, make sure it is to someone who is supposed to have that kind of information, and even then only speak loud enough for thet person to hear it and noone else. Remember to never carry your social security card with you.
Document Destruction and Storage
When disposing of older financial documentation (bills, old bank statements,etc.) it is always a good idea to destroy them completely. A good idea here is to use a paper shredder. An important rule of thumb on shredders, is the smaller the pieces the shredder makes the better. Smaller pieces means that it will be harder for the thieves to piece these documents together again.
When storing important documents a good rule to follow is “trust noone.” Keep your documents in a safe place that only you would know about. This is especially true if you employ others, have room mates, or are having some kind of work done to your house.
The Monitoring Services
Finally, invest in an identity theft monitoring service! These services are invaluable and can offer you, the consumer, a variety of services to help protect you from identity thieves. THese services can range from crdit monitoring to and active monitoring of your finances to prevent someone from taking out unauthorized purchases in your name. The latter alone can save you thousands.
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