| portant to protect your identity. In fact, the | | | | "skimming" your card's magnetic stripe and using it |
| Federal Trade Commission reports that identity | | | | to make Web purchases or counterfeit cards. |
| theft costs consumers, businesses and financial | | | | 5. Never leave information about yourself lying |
| institutions more than $53 billion in one year alone. | | | | around in your house, hotel room or in rental cars. |
| But not all identity crimes are the same. There | | | | If you can't carry it with you, use the hotel safe |
| are differences between identity theft, credit card | | | | or a locked file cabinet. |
| fraud and check fraud-and the actions you should | | | | 6. Purchase a shredder and shred any document |
| take, should you be victimized. | | | | with account or personal identifying information |
| • Credit Card & Check Fraud: This occurs | | | | that you don't need to retain for tax purposes. |
| when a criminal steals your cards or checks and | | | | This includes bank statements, receipts, old |
| uses them without your authorization. | | | | checks, tax returns and credit card solicitations. |
| • Account Takeover: This occurs when a | | | | 7. Mail theft is a major source of identity and |
| criminal obtains your personally identifying | | | | account theft. Purchase a locking mailbox and |
| information such as your Social Security number, | | | | always mail your payments at a secure mailbox |
| to gain access to, manipulate or use your existing | | | | or post office. |
| bank accounts or credit card account. | | | | 8. Use online banking to reduce the number of |
| • Identity Theft: This occurs when a | | | | paper checks you mail and the number of paper |
| criminal uses all or part of your identity to | | | | statements you receive. Choose passwords that |
| establish new bank accounts, loans, credit cards | | | | are hard to guess but easy for you to |
| or utility accounts. | | | | remember. Don't write your online banking |
| Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself | | | | password down. Change your passwords from |
| from these crimes. Try these 10 tips: | | | | time to time. |
| 1. Guard your Social Security number. Never print | | | | 9. Request a free copy of your credit report |
| your Social Security number on checks and don't | | | | annually and check it for accuracy. Look for any |
| reveal the number to anyone other than creditors | | | | loans or credit card accounts that you did not |
| or trusted parties such as your employer or | | | | open. Consider subscribing to a credit-monitoring |
| health care provider. | | | | service that will notify you if anyone applies for |
| 2. Never give your personal identifying information | | | | credit in your name. |
| or account numbers to anyone over the phone or | | | | 10. Use payment systems that reduce the |
| in response to e-mails unless you initiated the call | | | | number of people who physically handle your |
| or the contact and trust the person on the other | | | | account numbers, checks and personal identifying |
| end. Avoid revealing this information in public | | | | information. A paper check has both an account |
| places where you can be overheard. | | | | number and personal identifying information. It is a |
| 3. Examine all your credit card and checking | | | | risky document that passes through the hands of |
| account statements for unauthorized charges. Call | | | | as many as eight people during the clearing |
| your financial institution immediately upon noticing | | | | process. If you write just five checks per week, |
| unauthorized charges or if you notice your card or | | | | that creates up to 40 opportunities for someone |
| checks are missing. In some cases, your liability | | | | to steal your information. Instead of checks, it is |
| for unauthorized use is determined by how quickly | | | | less risky to use a debit card or a secure |
| you report the transaction or the loss of a card. | | | | payment system such as Pay By Touch, which |
| 4 Don't let merchants and restaurants take your | | | | allows access to your checking account only |
| credit or debit card out of your sight. This can | | | | through biometric authorization. |
| result in dishonest merchants or their employees | | | | |