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LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
FROM IDENTITY THEFT
Did you know the U.S. Postal Service reported almost ten million incidents of identity theft in the United States during 2004?
And did you know the estimated costs to consumers from those thefts was reportedly $5 billion?
Identity theft is one of the growing crime problems in this country that you can help prevent with some simple tips.
The National Crime Prevention Council and the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance have produced a Guide to Preventing Identity Theft that you can download here in .pdf format.
Prevention Tips
Here are some tips to help prevent you from becoming a victim of identity theft:
Do not put outgoing mail, especially bill payments, in personal curbside mailboxes that are unsecured. Use United States Postal Services mailboxes, preferably inside a post office.
Protect your important personal information like driver's license or social security number. Do not give this information to anyone unless absolutely necessary.
Shred financial records before throwing them away.
Be alert for anyone calling you from your bank and trying to get your assistance in a bank investigation by asking for your personal information.
Do not store your passwords or PIN numbers with your credit or debit cards. Commit passwords and PIN numbers to memory.
Be suspicious of any e-mails from legitimate looking businesses that seek pesonal information. "Phishing" for information via e-mails is a rapidly growing trend in identity theft.
More information from the National Crime Prevention Council is available here.
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