Identity Theft – Top 7 Ways to Protect Your Credit

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crime not only here in the United States, but all over the world. As a matter of fact, millions of people fall victim to this hideous crime, every year. It involves thieves obtaining key pieces of someone’s identifying information, such as name, address, date of birth, social security number and mother’s maiden name, in order to impersonate them. Identity theft will not only leave you feeling violated, it can also ruin your credit record for years. So, if you’ve been lucky enough not to be one of the millions of people that has fallen victim to identity theft, then it’s time for you to consider protecting your credit.

Fortunately, there are a number of measures you can take to protect your credit from been hijacked by these thieves. Here are the top seven:

Opt out of credit and insurance offers. Call all the credit companies sending you pre-approved credit offers and opt out. This will reduce the number of pre-approved offers coming to your mailing address. This is because these thieves might steal your mail and apply for these pre-approved offers in your name.

Never use your real mother’s maiden name as a security password on your accounts. Use your pet’s name, your car make, your favorite place to visit, your favorite food and so forth. Anything, but your real mother’s maiden name, because these thieves have a way of getting hold of your real mother’s maiden name. And with this information they can call your credit companies and impersonate you.

Shred your mail and other important documents, prior to discarding them. Shred all your bank statements and any other documents containing personal identification information such as drivers license, social security number, date of birth or account numbers. Shred or cut up all expired credit and bank cards. A common method used by these identity thieves to get your personal information is by going through your garbage.

Protect your computer and your wireless connection. Get an up to date virus and data protection for your computer. Data encryption prevents intruders from accessing your computer. Because data can be intercepted when sending e-mail or shopping online. In addition, delete and clear all unwanted information from your computer’s hard drive. And if you have a wireless network, set up a WEP or WAP security. This is because anyone from 300-500 feet away can jump on your network and access your files.

Check your credit report regularly. Do this to see if any new accounts have been opened, that you did not actually open yourself.

Keep your Social Security card or any other document that has your Social Security number, in a safe place. The is very important because this number is one of the unique identifiers the credit bureaus and financial institutions use. Provide this information only when you believe it is absolutely necessary.

Place a fraud alert and/or a credit freeze on credit report. When a fraud alert is place on your credit report, credit companies will contact you when an attempt is made by anyone to open an account in your name. A credit freeze prevents new creditors from accessing your credit report.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Imana