Are You Susceptible to Identity Theft?
Identity theft is now the fastest-growing crime in America. It happens when a criminal wrongfully obtains and uses the personal information belonging to someone else-perhaps to you. Such personal information may include your Social Security number (SSN), credit card numbers, or the ATM personal identification numbers (PIN) code for your bank account. Although you may think you are careful with this information, identity thieves are clever and can obtain this information in numerous ways.
There are a host of loss prevention techniques to reduce your loss exposure, including the following.
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Protect your SSN by not carrying the card in your wallet or purse and checking your earnings statements each year for fraud.
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Safeguard your mail by using a secure locking mailbox and having your mail held at the post office while on vacation.
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Shred everything in your discarded mail that has a name, address, or any type of account information on it.
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Safeguard your passwords and PINs, and always use "strong" and lengthy passwords.
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Protect your credit cards, credit reports, and debit cards, and enroll in credit and fraud monitoring products.
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Guard your PC and mobile devices with up-to-date antivirus and malware protection, and store personal files and data backups securely.
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Ask your financial institutions about available security options like transaction alerts, transaction limitations, authentication upgrades, and other special security precautions, and use them.
To read previous tips click here!
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International Risk Management Institute, Inc.
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