You don’t have to be some sophisticated mastermind to be an identity thief. One of the reasons there are about 10 million identity theft victims each year in the United States alone is because people make it easy for thieves to get their information. The worst offenders: people 18 to 24, who, according to Javelin Research, do the least to protect themselves and take the longest to notice when someone compromises their credit. Identity thieves love people who don’t check their credit, especially after they’ve been victimized. It lets them continue to use their accounts with impunity.
The CEO of Lifelock, Todd Davis, told Channel 3 News in Arizona, ““The criminals, if they were willing to work hard, they’d be productive members of society. The reality is, as long as you make it hard, you won’t be the next victim.â€
So how do you make it hard for thieves to get your information? Well start by eliminating the simple ways your information gets leaked.
*Don’t use the same passwords for your bill pay and bank accounts as you do for less sensitive sites, like social networks.
*Don’t throw credit card ads, bills and statements in the trash or recycling without shredding them.
*Don’t forget to install virus and malware protection on your computer, and always password protect it when you’re not using it.
*Don’t submit personal information online, or give it out over the phone, unless you know for a fact that you can trust the person or website that’s receiving it.
*Don’t write your personal identification number on your debit card or credit card, and never write passwords in a place where others can easily find them.
*Don’t use your birth date, your Social Security number or the word “password†as your password for anything.
*At the very least check your credit reports for free with annualcreditreport.com the government legislated website.
Once you’ve taken care of the simple stuff, it’s time to make things a bit tougher still. To do that, you’ll want LifeLock identity theft protection, for example, or another quality company such as those listed on our homepage. You probably know that some thieves tend to delve a bit deeper to find their victims, especially if they’re looking for someone with a high income or a very good credit rating. That’s where a plan can really help you out.
Even if you have an identity protection plan, or will soon be getting one, don’t start slacking on the simple stuff. An identity theft protection plan is not going to help you if you get a virus from clicking on a link to a bogus banking website. While it can help you if your credit is compromised, there’s nothing it can do to rescue a ruined computer operating system.