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