| The first and most important thing you can do to | | | | if the card has expired, and throw the tiny pieces |
| become better prepared and protected against | | | | into more than one trash bag so even if one bag |
| identity theft is to lose the attitude that "it could | | | | is found the card could not be put back together. |
| never happen to you". Identity theft is much | | | | Report any stolen or lost credit cards immediately. |
| more common than most people believe, and the | | | | Destroy receipts, tax information, credit card |
| belief that it won't happen to you leaves you | | | | applications, mortgage information or cancelled |
| much more vulnerable than someone who actively | | | | checks before throwing away- and keep such |
| takes steps to protect themselves against the | | | | documents in files in a locked file cabinet inside |
| crime. Identity thieves are able to obtain | | | | your home. Don't rule out the possibility of the |
| information they need to assume someone else's | | | | babysitter or housekeeper or guests taking |
| identity- often with little effort. Take Care to | | | | paperwork lying around your home. Keep a close |
| Protect Personal Information Do you shred | | | | eye on your credit reports and credit card |
| information before you throw it away? The | | | | statements to watch for anything out of the |
| easiest way for identity thieves to gather | | | | ordinary, or transactions you know you didn't |
| information to assume your identity is through the | | | | make. Investigate anything suspicious immediately. |
| paperwork you throw in the trash. You may as | | | | If You Are a Victim of Identity Theft Victims of |
| well hand a thief your credit card, social security | | | | identity theft often spend months or years trying |
| card and driver's license if you're throwing out | | | | to recover from the crime. Not only may it cost |
| (without shredding) credit applications, resumes, | | | | victims money, but their credit score is going to |
| credit card and utility bill statements. Sometimes | | | | be ruined and will take work and time to repair. |
| thieves will intercept your incoming or outgoing | | | | While the three major credit bureaus do have |
| mail by taking items from your mailbox. With | | | | policies for fixing credit scores and reports after |
| enough information, perhaps gathered through | | | | identity theft crimes have occurred, it does take |
| various bank statements or credit card | | | | a long time for the errors to be corrected and |
| applications, the data can be pieced together by a | | | | repaired. Before the report and score is |
| thief to use your name to apply for loans and | | | | corrected, the victim is going to have a difficult |
| credit in your name. You may want to consider | | | | time obtaining any sort of financing (from credit |
| mailing documents from a post office mailbox | | | | cards to student loans to car loans or mortgages). |
| rather than a personal mailbox- the little red flag | | | | In some extreme cases, identity theft victims are |
| you put up on your box to signal your mail carrier | | | | even arrested for crimes they didn't commit. |
| that you have mail waiting for pick up is also a | | | | Being a victim of identity theft interrupts your life. |
| signal for identity thieves of a potential victim! | | | | It is far easier to take appropriate steps to |
| Preventing Identity Theft Other than shredding | | | | protect yourself than it is to repair your credit |
| paperwork prior to throwing it away, there are a | | | | reports and credit score after your identity has |
| few other methods you can use in order to | | | | been stolen. |
| protect yourself against identity theft: Cut credit | | | | Destroy Debt offers tools and advice advice to |
| cards into tiny pieces before throwing away, even | | | | help you reduce debt. |