Kip Tips
Protect Your Identity Every Day
Follow these tips so that you never become a victim of ID theft.
By Cameron Huddleston, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger.com
February 2, 2010
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In my last column, I wrote about how to protect your identity during the 2010 census. So I thought today it would be a good idea to remind you how to protect your personal information at all times.
High-tech fraud may be notorious, but it accounts for a relatively small amount of ID thefts. The most common source of obtaining personal information illegally is low-tech stealing (of a wallet, purse, mail and even trash). Below are some common dos and don'ts that can help you protect your information and your credit record.
-- Women, don't hang your purse on the back a chair in a public place.
-- Men, do put a rubber band around your wallet -- the friction makes it more difficult to pull from a pocket.
-- Do get a shredder (available for less than $15 at office supply or discount stores) and shred all documents that contain personal information.
-- Don't write down or give out your PIN.
-- Don't carry all of your credit cards with you.
-- Do sign your credit cards. Messages such as "See photo ID" don't work because it's more difficult for thieves to forge your signature than to come up with a fake ID with your name on it.
-- Do check your credit record with the three main credit reporting agencies -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -- at least annually to check for bogus entries or errors. You are entitled to a free report from each bureau once a year through AnnualCreditReport.com
-- Don't carry your social security card with you.
-- Don't have your social security number or telephone number printed on your checks.
-- Don't give a business your social security number just because it asks for it.
-- Do find out how a business will use your personal information and what will happen if you don't give it.
-- Don't give out personal information on the phone, on the Internet or by mail unless you initiate the contact.
-- Do pay close attention to credit card bills to ensure no unauthorized charges are being made.
-- Do watch for monthly bills. If they fail to reach you, call the company to find out why.
-- Don't use obvious passwords or PINs, such as your birth date, phone number, mother's maiden name, etc.
-- Do safeguard your computer by updating your virus protection regularly and using a firewall program.
-- Don't download files sent by strangers.
-- Do look for Web site privacy policies when buying something online.
-- Don't store financial information on your laptop.
-- Do delete personal information from your computer before getting rid of it.
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Reader Comments (4)
Posted by: Alan at 02/02/2010 06:33:40 PM
I keep reading "Don't carry your SSN". This is great advice except if you are over 65 and have to carry a Medicare Card to receive health care and Medicare insists on using your SSN as your "Medicare Claim Number" and printing it on the Medicare Card which you must carry, etc, etc.
Posted by: Bob at 02/02/2010 10:39:17 PM
Sorry dear but it has become almost impossible to protect your identity. No matter how careful you are, you are still at risk. You can try to make yourself a smaller target but still a target. Much of the problem stems from businesses farming out the handling of your information and our government who is doing little to catch and punish ID thieves. Did you hand your card to the waiter when you last went out to eat? Who else could copy your card? My favorite story involves a security expert. He called the management at his apartment complex and asked to have the carpets cleaned. The cleaners not only cleaned the carpets but went through his desk and mail photographing enough info to create several stolen IDs. Do you even know who has access to your apartment or hotel room?
Posted by: Derek at 02/03/2010 02:01:02 PM
Definitely shred your documents. People still dumpster dive for your personal information. I actually caught someone ripping up my trash in broad day light. I confronted them and they said it was a hobby and claimed once it hits the curb it is public property. I told them that what they were doing was illegal and threatened to call the police if they didn't leave. They left immediately.
Posted by: Jennifer at 02/03/2010 04:24:00 PM
Medicare is a huge problem for id theft... My dad just had his id stolen right from his medicare card... This problem needs to be address and not just shoved under the carpet.