| There is a substantial increase in the number of | | | | your credit profile without your consent. By |
| identity thieves. Everyone should be worried about | | | | locking your credit profile, only you and the |
| the statistics. Fortunately, it is not that hard to | | | | companies or banks you have credit relationship |
| protect your identity against the fastest-growing | | | | with can view your profile. This step is very |
| criminal activity in the country. The most | | | | beneficial because it closes one of the avenues |
| important thing is for you to be very careful in | | | | where thieves get your personal info and it stops |
| giving away your personal information whether | | | | pre-approved credit applications from arriving at |
| online or offline. | | | | your mailbox.o Get a Post Office box |
| There are three common types of identity thefts | | | | This is a locked mailbox that keeps your incoming |
| - bank fraud, phone fraud, and credit card fraud. | | | | mails safe from everyone, especially from |
| In whatever method they use, these criminals | | | | thieves. When you already have this secure |
| gain access to your account information, pretend | | | | mailbox, have your check, bills, and other |
| to be you and purchase items or open new lines | | | | important mails sent to this locked box.o Be extra |
| of credit, withdraw money from your account | | | | careful when giving away your personal |
| and so on. However, these are some ways to | | | | information. |
| protect yourself from these thieves.o Don't bring | | | | Since this can't be avoided when shopping or |
| all your credit cards wherever you go. | | | | doing transactions online, make sure that the |
| If you limit the number of cards you carry, you | | | | person or company you're dealing with is |
| won't lose that much in case you are robbed. | | | | legitimate. Before you type your credit card |
| Also, make sure you don't bring with you records | | | | number, look at the address bar first and make |
| of PIN.o Lock your credit profiles at the credit | | | | sure that the site's URL starts with "https." Also |
| bureaus. | | | | look for the closed padlock symbol at the bottom |
| You have the right to call the credit bureaus and | | | | right hand corner of your browser. If that symbol |
| ask them to freeze your accounts. This way, no | | | | appears, it means your browser is strongly |
| new credit can be made without your permission | | | | connected to the website. |
| and no one or no company can gain access to | | | | |