How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

If you're not actively protecting yourself from identity theft, experts say, you should start now. If you don't, having your identity stolen could result.
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Crooks can tap into your funds using fabricated checks with a fictitious name, address, and bank—as long as they use your real account number. Monitor your telephone bills landline and cellular to find any unauthorized "cramming" charges for phony services and purchases.

How to Prevent Identity Theft - NerdWallet

As cell phones increasingly become mobile payment devices, fraudulent charges are showing up there, too. If you suspect you've been a victim of identity theft, act quickly. Immediately contact your creditors and financial institutions to report unauthorized charges or debits, and close any compromised accounts. Place fraud alerts and security freezes, and get your credit reports from all three credit bureaus so you can review them for irregularities. File a report with your local police and the FTC, and step up your own account monitoring. Chances are good that these actions will resolve the problem in relatively short order and at little or no cost.

Don't let the incident scare you into signing up for identity-theft protection or credit-monitoring services—unless they're free, which is often the case for a limited time after corporate or government data breaches.

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Make sure a breach notice is not an identity-theft trick itself, and remember to cancel the subscription when the free period runs out. Here are the annual data reports you should check each year for signs of possible ID theft, and where to get them. This article appeared in Consumer Reports Money Adviser. Get Ratings on the go and compare while you shop.


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  • 2. Safeguard your Social Security number!
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You can protect yourself by taking these low-tech, common-sense precautions: Never give your Social Security number or other information to strangers who call, text, or send e-mail messages to you, even if they seem legitimate, as with phony "phishing" e-mail that looks like it comes from your bank. And don't write your Social Security number on checks except those you send to the IRS , noncredit applications, or other forms. Never leave your wallet or purse unattended. Store financial account statements, medical records, and tax filings in a secure place at home, especially if you let workers or others inside, and shred those documents when you no longer need them.

Don't post your date of birth, mother's maiden name, first pet's name, or other personal information on websites like Facebook, Flickr, Friendster, LinkedIn, MySpace, or Twitter.

They're often used to verify your identity and could allow an imposter electronic access to your accounts. If your bank or credit-card issuer offers free online or mobile alerts that will warn you of suspicious account activity as soon as it's detected, sign up for them. The alerts are different from the expensive credit-monitoring services that banks also sell. You don't need those. Place security freezes and fraud alerts You can shut out ID thieves before they cause damage by placing a security freeze on your credit reports at all three major credit bureaus: Keep an ID-theft file Because identity theft is now a fact of life, it's a good idea to set up a folder for certain documents and data and keep it in a secure place.

Review all your personal data files Check your credit report periodically for items that you don't recognize—such as accounts, judgments, liens, collections, bankruptcies, and other possible footprints of identity theft—and dispute all erroneous and fraudulent information. Stop unsolicited credit-card offers One way crooks steal your name is by swiping preapproved credit offers from your mailbox to open an account. Monitor accounts often It's no longer enough to wait for your monthly credit-card or checking account statement to look for suspicious activity. Respond rapidly If you suspect you've been a victim of identity theft, act quickly.

Getting your files Here are the annual data reports you should check each year for signs of possible ID theft, and where to get them. ChoicePoint Full File Disclosure includes a public-records search, auto and homeowner claims reports, pre-employment background checks, searches for criminal records and evictions, and address history. The government mails the statement annually, but if you've misplaced it or haven't received one, you can order a copy online by going to ssa. Contact your health insurer to find out how to get this information.

MIB consumer file has coded listings of medical conditions and tests, hazardous hobbies, and driving records. It's used by U. Call or go to www. Prescription drug history has information about the medications you've taken over the last five years, including dosages, your refill record, and the doctors who prescribed them. Call Intelliscript at and Medpoint at Driving record has your history of moving violations, points, your physical description, address, license status, and other details.

Contact your state department of motor vehicles directly to get a copy for a fee. Beware of online middlemen selling the same information at higher costs.

Chex Systems and TeleCheck reports have information about mishandled and overdrawn checking accounts. For Chex Systems, go to www. Rental history reports have information on your rent payments, references, and evictions. For information on getting your report from First Advantage SafeRent, call or go to www.

For your RentBureau report, go to www. Choose from cars, safety, health, and more! Manage your newsletters here too. Mobile Get Ratings on the go and compare while you shop Learn more. Guard it as best you can. When you are asked for your number, ask why it is needed and how it will be protected. Random combinations of letters, numbers and special characters, different for each account, work best. Would you give any of that information to a caller asking the right questions?

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ProPublica found many people are willing to trade that kind of information for a free cookie. Stolen mail is one of the easiest paths to a stolen identity. Postal Service-approved lockable mailbox. You can also sign up for Informed Delivery through the USPS, which gives you a preview of your mail so you can tell if anything is missing. Shred junk mail, too, especially preapproved offers of credit.

Keep software updated and use hard-to-guess passwords and two-factor identification when available. Turn off Bluetooth unless you are using it. When you use public Wi-Fi, others may be able to see your data. Lastly, be cautious in downloading free apps, which can contain malware.

Consider requesting one report every four months, so you can check for suspicious or incorrect information throughout the year. If you watch your credit scores, be alert for any large, unexplained change. Read credit card and bank statements. Make sure you recognize every charge, no matter how small. Know due dates and call to investigate if you do not receive an expected bill.

Read health insurance claims and make sure you actually received the care your insurance paid for. No matter how careful you are, you could become a victim.