Some Pointers for Identity Theft Protection
Learning about identity theft protection is very important today; assuming that this crime just can’t happen to you or that it just isn’t a real threat is like sticking your head in the sand, so to speak. There is no one that is immune to the threat of this type of crime and there are many ways that it can happen. Learning about identity theft protection is important for both home, the office, and while doing any type of business online.
The first step for identity theft protection is to understand how it can happen and to learn about a thief’s favorite or most common methods for committing this crime. As an example, it may seem strange but there are still those who go “dumpster diving” or who root around through the trash or in landfills in order to find papers or anything else with sensitive information. The key to identity theft protection in this type of scenario is to shred all your papers and other sensitive information before you toss them. This includes utility bills, credit card and bank statements, credit card offers, and anything else with numbers and personal information. You may have heard it over and over again that shredding your paperwork is an important step in identity theft protection, but it really can’t be emphasized enough. Shredders are inexpensive and easy to use, so if you don’t have one already it’s time to add it to the shopping list.
Another important part of identity theft protection involves your personal computer and your internet use. Most sites today are encrypted meaning that any information you enter on their site is communicated directly to them and is not visible to anyone else online, but it’s important to be sure that websites you use are actually protected this way. Obviously the larger sites such as eBay and PayPal take extraordinary measures for identity theft protection as would your bank or credit union, but beyond these sites you want to exercise some caution. And if you are getting rid of an old computer or CD-ROMs, be careful of how your sensitive information can be pulled from these. Shred those CDs before you toss them out, and have a computer expert wipe your hard drive clean before you donate or toss that old computer. Deleting files is not enough for identity theft protection as remnants of virtually everything you type on your keyboard can still be found on the hard drive. Whatever you do, don’t just donate your computer or throw it away without first having it scrubbed by an expert.
While nothing can guarantee you absolute identity theft protection, remember that the more difficult you make it for a potential thief the more likely they will be to move on to another target. And just because no one can guarantee you identity theft protection, this doesn’t mean that you should be negligent about your sensitive information or just ignore the threat altogether. Be careful and you’ll be less likely to be a victim.
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It’s a scary thought to think that people would still go rooting around in a dumpster to find our personal information. I haven’t been the best at shredding my credit card offers. How do these guys get away with stealing my identity with those types of documents?
Great post. Thanks for the info!