Identity theft seems to be a topic in the news almost every week. While just recently MasterCard is feeling the effects of a recent exposure of almost 14 million cards keeping your personal information private is becomming increasingly more difficult. In many instances this information is not even in your control banks, credit card companies, financial institutions, employers, retail stores, the list goes on and on. All of them need to know who you are, where you live, your income, and you are at the risk of how good there security is.
From a personal perspective a recent run in with incorrect information at one of the credit reporting agencies appears to have allowed someone to use a credit card to the tune of $1500.00. A simple type-o, mail not being delivered and an enterprising individual with low morals on the receiving end and the damage was done in one day. Luckily at the moment it appears that is it. A credit watch being placed on the SSN has not produced any inquires from credit reporting agencies and after two months no additional unknown charges have appeared.
Googling the internet will get you many resources one non profit organization is the Identity Theft Resource Center. I’d recommend reviewing what’s out there on preventing identity theft not to mention some prevention methods. Here are some you can do today.
1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook,they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put “PHOTO
ID REQUIRED”.
3. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the “For” line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes
through all the check processing channels won’t have access to it.
4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home
phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc… keep it in a safe place.
Of course you can only do so much and there is no guarentee it won’t happen to you. But if you pay attention and try to prevent it you can save yourself some headaches, not to mention potential serious financial difficulties.
