How Can I Avoid Identity Theft? (Part Two)

How Can I Avoid Identity Theft?  (Part Two)

Scambusters.org offers more tips for avoiding identity theft.  You can find these tips at http://www.scambusters.org/Scambusters47.html

• Watch out for merchants (especially spammers) who don?™t offer any way via phone or snail mail for you to contact them or check if they?™re for real.


• Don?™t post private information.  That means on file-sharing hubs, message boards/forums, discussion lists ??anything online.  We never really know who is watching what we write.


• Keep your record of passwords off your computer.  Use different passwords for different sites and don?™t make the passwords obvious choices.  Use a password that is at least eight characters long and is a combination of letters and numbers.


• Run up-to-date anti-virus software and use a personal firewall.

I?™d like to add another tip:  trust your instinct if it gives you a red flag.  If you feel that someone is giving you a hard sell and it just feels wrong but you can?™t pinpoint why, end the conversation.  Your instinct is there to protect you.  For example, there are some smooth talkers who infiltrate college dorms, posing as college-age subscription salesmen.  They use their charm and fast-talking to get money and personal information.  Needless to say, the magazine subscriptions never come and these hucksters don?™t often get caught.

How Can I Avoid Identity Theft?

Here are some suggestions from the Federal Trade Commission and MotleyFool.com:Carefully check your credit card and bank account statements for unauthorized activity.If your credit card statement or bank account statement is late, call the company to make sure that an impostor hasn?™t changed the billing address.Don?™t give out personal information (like social security number, mother?™s maiden name, for example) with anyone online, over the phone or through the mail if you weren?™t the one who initiated contact or if you don?™t know the caller. Sometimes identity thieves pretend to be from official institutions like banks and say that there?™s a problem with your account. They then ask for your password or other personal information that would allow them access to your money.Shred any documents, including junk mail like credit card offers that may contain your personal information.Don?™t leave mail in your mailbox for pickup. Drop off your mail directly into post office receptacles.Don?™t carry your social security card around with you or in your car. Put it in a safe place. Have some ID in a safe place other than your wallet just in case your wallet gets stolen. Carry only a minimum of cards (credit and ID) with you.Make your phone number unlisted. If you do want it listed, use only a first initial and no address if you can.Don?™t have your social security or driver?™s license number printed on your checks.Cancel credit cards that you don?™t need.For more information, go to Motley Fool at http://www.fool.com/ccc/check/check06.htm or go directly to the FTC site. (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.pdf).