How To Prevent Identity Theft

Gone are the days when thieves looked to make quick money by just breaking into a rich man’s house in the still of the night. The thieves of this time and age are far more advanced than their predecessors. If you find it difficult to believe this truth, you probably have not been a victim of the devious efforts of an identity thief. However, if you have been a victim of identity theft, it wouldn’t take you more than a second to agree that yes, thieves, burglars, robbers or whatever you want to call them are a much smarter lot now. What is an identity theft? In simple terms, an identity theft is the act of breaking into another’s ‘personal information’ for the sole purpose of unjustified monetary gain. Sometimes, however, identity thefts can transcend to reasons that are not just monetary. If you have been a victim of an identity theft in the past, or don’t ever want to be one in the future, simply read on to find out what you should be doing to prevent the occurrence of an identity theft.

Steps To Prevent Identity Theft

The first and foremost thing to do when looking to prevent identity theft is to be overly protective of your PIN numbers. It is these PIN numbers that can help identity thieves actually get to what you may value the most. As far as possible, try memorizing PIN numbers. However, with multiple accounts, memorizing PIN numbers can be quite an issue. To get the better of this predicament, you can write down PIN numbers in a diary and store that dairy in a safe and secure place. Never ever write down PIN numbers on cards or on pieces of paper and store them in your wallet.
Apart from memorizing pin codes or generally keeping the same as safe as possible, you will have to go out of your way to change your passwords. This is what will keep identity thieves on their toes, making it almost impossible for them to hack into your accounts. Changing passwords from time to time really is the way to go. Remember, when setting or changing passwords always make it a point to meet all password setting and changing norms.
If you get a call from an unsolicited caller and the caller asks for your credit card number or any other such personal information and you are not sure about giving it away, don’t make the mistake of giving it away. This is one of the most popular strategies of identity thieves, so now that you are aware of it, make sure you don’t fall for it!
Take the time out to scrutinize all credit card statements, debit card statements or any other such important bank statements. If you notice any discrepancies in any one of these statements, make it a point to report the issue to the bank and ensure that the bank plays its role in executing damage control.
If you have lost a credit card or believe that it has been stolen, play your part in the prevention of identity theft by reporting the stolen card to concerned authorities as soon as possible.
If you have credit card receipts, half filled loan applications, or any other bank document which has on it personal information, do yourself a favor and shred it to pieces. This, in a way, will prevent identity thieves from gaining access to information that can be best described as personal.
Check your mailbox on a daily basis. Mailbox here stands to signify the physical one and not the virtual one. If you suddenly stop receiving mail, feel free to check on the same with your post office. This is because identity thieves are usually experts at forging signatures, and would have probably forged your signature to have your mails forwarded to them. To prevent such a predicament, make it a point to check your mailbox every day and also the post office if you see the need to do so!

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