The type of crime in which people use your personal information without your consent. This specifically includes the financial benefits and concern of duplicate credit cards in your name. This could cause serious problems for you and your honor. Identity theft is the most emerging problem in the world, with more than 7 million people in the US falling victim to this fraud in 2014 (latest statistics available). A slight carelessness can put you in financial difficulties to achieve your status.
There are different types of identity theft, some of them are listed below for your better understanding.
• Child identity theft
• Tax identification theft
• Medical ID theft
• Senior identity theft
• Social identity theft
People use many methods to protect their privacy. For you, we have also compiled the most reliable and trustworthy information to prevent identity theft here specifically on this blog.
Prevent identity theft
To avoid identity theft below are the key points to consider to avoid identity theft.
• Keep your SSN – Social Security Numbers secret. Do not carry your card with you all the time. Also, do not write SSN on bills.
• Do not respond to any authorized calls received that require your personal information (card number, SSN, date of birth, etc.)
• Keep your posts when you go out for a few days.
• Note the date of your billing statements and financial statements. Contact the supplying authorities immediately if they are delayed longer than usual.
• Update firewall and other security settings when using public Wi-Fi, it is a better approach to use VPN as it will add a new layer of security
• Keep mobile security up to date if you have an integrated mobile banking app
• Thoroughly compare your bank statement and your bill to resolve the additional expense you were billed virtually
• Safely dispose of your receipts using a home cross cut shredder, the strip cut shredder provides a lower level of security for sensitive documents.
• Set a complex password for your accounts and use up-to-date antivirus protection on your computer system
If you notice any unusual activity with your card and any other symptoms related to fraud, contact your service provider directly and freeze your credit card.
Worthy use of paper shredder
Using a paper shredder is a valuable method of disposing of your receipts and other sensitive documents. State-of-the-art paper shredders can shred your credit cards, tax bills, junk mail, and much more. They can also shred CDs and DVDs. Using a best priced paper shredder is the ideal way to remove information from media and shred papers so they cannot be reassembled. These machines can be easily purchased on amazon.com with free door-to-door delivery and longer warranty periods.
Limit the information you share publicly
Control the information you make available to the public, like your bio on public profiles and the things you share. It is not wise for others to see your date of birth, personal phone numbers, mailing address and others. Unrecognized links are spam, people use it to get to you. Don’t click on them if you didn’t recognize them.
stay alert
No matter how much attention you pay to prevent, but sometimes a situation comes when things go against you. For example, the merchant takes a photo of his card with a smartphone. In that case, contact 1 of the top 3 credit bureaus to receive information about a fraud alert. Contact information for these companies is below:
Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Experian: 1-888-397-3742
Equifax: 1-888-766-0008
conclusion
Taking into account all the above information, it is quite clear that we must pay close attention to our belongings to avoid any kind of information abuse. For this sometimes we have to use some tool and for me, the best paper shredder is the right one. It is advisable to make a small investment in these quality machines. They will never disappoint you. Ending with the words, save your identity with the latest methods and increased care.