Identity Theft Methods Rarely Considered
Identity theft always seems to be thought of as a crime done over the internet or through electronic methods, but what consumers do not realize is that simple things throughout their daily lives can also lead to identity theft. All an identity thief needs is a few key pieces of information in order to steal an individual’s identity. Some of the more common ways they can do that are:
Receipts
Prior to 2006, it was entirely acceptable for credit card merchants to print a consumer’s credit card number directly on the receipt! As of today, that is an illegal action, but there are still some merchants that have outdated equipment or practices that will still print the entire credit card number on a receipt. Even the newer credit card machines will still print out the last four digits of your credit card number on the receipt. Some merchants will use carbon credit card receipts, especially when their credit card machines are down.
As a consumer, always take your receipt, even if you do not need it. Shred them when you are home prior to throwing them away and never throw an unshredded receipt in your home or public garbage cans.
ATM Lurking
Often consumers will shop with cash rather than a credit card in order to protect themselves from fraud. Though cash is a safer way to shop, the way a consumer gets cash is typically through their ATM. When you stop at an item, how often do you find that someone is just standing around it? Always ensure that when you use an ATM someone is not standing around it. If they are, leave and go to another ATM. Often these thieves can stand there and look over your shoulder at your PIN numbers or even use digital cameras to capture a picture of your card and PIN.
If possible, try using a drive-up ATM rather than a standalone machine. Always ensure that you are using a machine directly from a financial institution and avoid ATM machines that are in convenience and grocery stores since they are easily tampered with.
Securing Your Home and Car
A consumer’s car and home feel as though they are a safe place for them. This is where a consumer will store personal information such as their credit cards, tax documents and bills. Though these are safe places to you, they contain your personal information that needs to be protected. Ensure that your documents are safe when they are in your home or even your car. Lock away items that you are not using in your truck for your car or a lockbox when you are at home. Protecting the areas in which you most frequent will ensure that in the event of a break-in, thieves will not be able to access your personal information.
Card Skimming
As consumer’s, we use our debit and credit cards for the majority of our purchases. If ever you notice a cashier having to swipe your credit card twice or an ATM that is not registering your card, be wary and ask what is going on. Often credit card thieves will install devices known as “skimmers” into machines so that as a consumer swipes their credit card, the skimmer catalogs and records the credit card numbers for them to use later.
The best and only way to protect yourself from card skimming is to use a pre-paid credit card rather than your actual card.