Handling Your Information Responsibly
Often those that fall victim to identity theft did not treat their personal information responsibly. This can include safeguarding documents, shredding items and not sharing personal documentation with other companies or individuals that do not need them. Some ways to handle your personal information responsibly and keep them out of the hands of identity thieves are:
Reviewing Statements
No matter how many credit cards or bank accounts you have, you should receive monthly statements for all of them. Some consumers will get their monthly statements online, while others will have them mailed directly to their home. When you get your monthly statement, review it carefully for any changes or charges that you cannot explain. This should include utility bills and even phone statements for your monthly review.
Auto-Deduct
Instead of mailing your payments each month for bills, sign up with as many automatic withdrawal plans as you can. By doing so you can limit the amount of checks that you have to send through the mail; which can be intercepted by identity thieves.
Pre-Approved Offers and Mail
When you receive bills, statements or pre-approved credit offers, never throw them in the trash. Before throwing anything away a consumer needs to shred them with a crosscut shredder. One of the most common ways for identity thieves to steal a consumer’s information is through dumpster diving for bills and other statements that were tossed away whole.
Check Writing
Though check writing is discouraged, in the event you need to write a check, use a black gel ink pen. That way the ink will embed into the fibers of the check so that it cannot be washed by thieves and rewritten to them. Cancelled checks should always be stored away in a locked file cabinet or shredded prior to being disposed of.
Loan and Credit Applications
When you fill out a credit application at a car dealership, bank, or other institution, where does that application go? Though they may store it in a file, who will have access to that cabinet? Ensure that any time you fill out an application, even if it is for a job, you know how they dispose of your personal information or where it is stored. Avoid giving out more personal information than is absolutely necessary when signing up with any type of company.
Your Home
Though you will assume your personal information is safe while it is stored in your home, you are actually putting your personal information at risk. General visitors or even burglars can access your personal information, especially when it is left out in the open on desks and tables. Lock away your personal documents in file cabinets or a lockbox so that they are protected.