One of the easiest ways for an identity thief to get access to your personal information is through an organization you most likely do business with every day: the U.S. Postal Service. It is very easy for a thief to find your account numbers, and sometimes even your Social Security number, just by going through your new or discarded mail. Here are some thing s you can do to protect yourself.
Shred any mail containing personal information before you throw it out. It is not uncommon for thieves to dig through garbage cans and recycling bins hoping to find information they can use. Shredding this information stops them in their tracks.
Put your outgoing mail that contains personal information in a locked box. If your mailbox doesn’t have a lock, use one of the blue federal mailboxes or drop your mail in the bin at the post office.
Don’t let incoming mail sit in an unlocked box. If your mailbox doesn’t have a lock on it, make sure to get the mail immediately after it arrives, or at least as soon as possible. If this is not doable due to your schedule, you may want to consider having your bills and statements delivered to a post office box, or canceling the paper versions altogether and opting to receive them online.
You can now view your credit report online, so that you don’t have to have that information sent to you via the mail. Just go to www.annualcreditreport.com, the only official site for credit reports sanctioned by the Federal Trade Commission, and request one over the Web.
Have someone bring your mail in for you if you’re going out of town. If this is not possible, contact the post office and ask them to put your mail on a temporary hold. If you will be away for an extended period of time, you may want to consider having your mail forwarded to your new location.
Report issues right away. If you find that your mailbox has been tampered with, contact your building’s management, your homeowners association or your local post office immediately to see about having it repaired. Report any suspected mail theft to the Postal Inspection Service by visiting the following website: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/
Though following these tips will make your safer, you may want to consider the additional identity theft protection from the hassle and financial strain that identity theft can bring. With this crime affecting millions of people every year, it is bound to impact your life at some point. For as little as a few cents a day, you can receive 24/7 protection of your personal information from identity theft and other types of fraud, and get this same protection for your family members as well.
Since there are so many types of identity theft insurance offered, it can be confusing as to which one would best fit your needs. That’s why IdentityTheftLabs.com offers comprehensive reviews of the best identity protection services, as well as their pricing and other important details.