| America, it's time to take an aggressive | | | | |
| stance in preventing identity theft! The | | | | Don't get into the habit of carrying all of |
| odds of the average American becoming the | | | | your credit cards with you - only carry what |
| victim of such an outrageous crime are | | | | you'll need for the purposes at hand. |
| greater than you might think. In fact, with | | | | |
| today's technology and just a little | | | | Shred any unused documentation that contains |
| creativity, thieves can quite easily capture | | | | your credit card information, and do the same |
| your personal identity for the purposes of | | | | with pre-approved credit card applications. |
| draining your funds, charging expensive items | | | | |
| to your credit cards and recreating their | | | | Never dispose of credit card receipts by |
| entire lives to virtually become "you". | | | | simply throwing them in the wastebasket. |
| There are effective ways to fight this | | | | Always shred them before disposal. |
| epidemic - it's just a matter of | | | | |
| familiarizing yourself with them. | | | | Social Security Number |
| | | | |
| Financial Transactions | | | | This is one of the most commonly stolen bits |
| | | | of data today, which helps to cement identity |
| Let's face it, there's no way to function | | | | theft. By protecting this precious piece of |
| within society without participating in some | | | | personal information, you can do much in the |
| type of financial transaction on a regular | | | | area of preventing identity theft. |
| basis. Whether it's going to the ATM, | | | | |
| applying for a loan or charging merchandise | | | | Memorize your social security number, and |
| on a credit card, we're all caught in the | | | | never carry your card or other document that |
| electronic loop and will need to find an | | | | may contain the number, in case of theft. |
| effective means for preventing identity | | | | |
| theft. | | | | Don't allow your social security number to be |
| | | | used as an ID number, either at work or on |
| Don't place outgoing bill payments in your | | | | various types of accounts. |
| mailbox for mail carriers to collect. | | | | |
| | | | When obtaining a driver's license, request |
| Make sure that the keypad is shielded when | | | | that your social security number is not used |
| you type in the PIN number for your ATM | | | | as your driver's license number. Although |
| banking transactions. | | | | this is a common practice in some states, you |
| | | | do have the right to make such a request and |
| Pick up boxes of new checks directly from | | | | be assigned a different number.. |
| your bank; never have them mailed to your | | | | |
| home. | | | | Never print your social security number on |
| | | | your checks. |
| Don't include your social security number or | | | | |
| driver's license number with your pre-printed | | | | Request a statement from the Social Security |
| name and address on your checks. | | | | Administration showing your earnings and |
| | | | benefits every few years, to ensure that |
| Don't write credit card or bank account | | | | everything is correct. |
| numbers on your checks. | | | | |
| | | | These and many other precautions can be taken |
| Credit Cards | | | | to ensure that you're protected from identity |
| | | | theft. Although there's no sure-fire |
| Too many people become lax in the area of | | | | guarantee that it won't happen to you, |
| credit card information. So many folks order | | | | prevention is certainly the best medicine - |
| merchandise over the phone or online using | | | | just ask anyone who's ever been the victim of |
| these cards, and little is done in the way of | | | | such a crime. |
| preventing identity theft. | | | | |
| | | | The author grants reprint permission to all |
| Don't apply your signature to your credit | | | | venues so long as the copyright and by-line |
| cards, instead write on the back -in | | | | are included intact. |
| permanent ink- "Ask for driver's license" or | | | | |
| any variation. | | | | Copyright © 2005 All Rights Reserved. |