Keep your identity safe and your personal information secure with these tips.
You’ve worked hard to build the life you enjoy. You pay your bills on time to maintain a healthy credit score and even save money for your future. But even the most financially responsible people can become victims of identity theft or scams. The last thing you want is someone using your personal information such as name, Social Security number, or credit card information to commit fraud or other crimes that potentially tarnish the financial reputation you have worked so hard to build and maintain. Not to mention creating a financial mess you’ll have to clean up. Consider the following tips to help protect yourself from identity theft and scams:
1. Keep your personal information safe: Don’t carry your Social Security card or other sensitive documents in your wallet or purse. Instead, keep them in a secure place, such as a locked file cabinet or safe.
2. Shred or destroy sensitive personal information: Bills, statements, tax documents and other important collateral should be stored safely at home. Avoid tossing any of these into the trash without shredding them first. Before you sell, give away or dispose of any electronic devices like laptops or phones, be sure to wipe all of your data from these devices.
3. Watch for phishing scams: Don’t click on links in emails, text messages, or provide information to people who contact you and ask for your personal information. Scammers love to imitate financial institutions to try and gain access to your information or accounts. Keep in mind, financial institutions will never reach out to you and ask for personal information – they already have it.
4. Never send money to people you don’t know: Some scammers will promise big returns if you send them money in advance. They might claim that you’ve won a contest or drawing, offer you a unique crypto currency investment opportunity, or other scams requesting money in advance of a return payment. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Create strong passwords: Utilize strong passwords and never reuse passwords for multiple accounts. It’s also a good idea to change your passwords regularly. The longer the password the better, and find creative ways to incorporate special characters.
6. Monitor your credit report: At www.annualcreditreport.com you can review your credit report from each of three major credit bureaus annually. Also consider signing up for credit monitoring. These services help you monitor your credit in near real time and are relatively inexpensive.
Identity theft and scams can have far-reaching consequences. By being cautious with your personal information and taking steps to protect yourself, you can help prevent these things from happening to you.