Protecting your Identity

Identity Theft

Protect whats yours, don’t be another statistic.

” To secure your identity is to alter your way of thinking, a cautious and inquisitive mindset will help you protect your personal identification. “

What are thieves looking for? - Identity theft is almost always a crime of opportunity.

• Account Information. (i.e. numbers, maiden names, card types, pin numbers, exp. dates)

• Social Security Numbers.

• Drivers License.

These are the three basic needs of any identity thief, however, it is important to note that any one of these may lead to troubling times. Identity theft is becoming easier and more abundant because thieves are using the internet to exchange information and sell your identity.

Ways your identity can be stolen. - Most people don’t know their identity has been stolen.

• Internet Phishing Scams - Rouge websites posing as valid sites to gain your account information.

• Credit Card “Skimmers” - Small devices that can scan a credit card and retrieve all needed information from it. This can be used to duplicate credit cards.

• Phone or Email Inquiries - Someone calling or emailing you wanting you to verify account information.

• Computer “Hacking” - Hackers these days are not looking to just mess with your internet site or steal your meeting minutes, hacking is big business, they want some reward for their effort. It is more likely if a hacker is attacking you or your company they know what they are looking for and they know it will produce some value for them. Internal computer hacking is a much bigger threat than a random person on the internet.

• Your Person - You are sometimes the primary cause of identity theft. Keep only the nessacaties in your wallet or purse. Be conscious of your surroundings and your situation. Don’t be quick to give out information just because they ask for it. (i.e. You don’t need to give out your phone number to buy some batteries!)

Analyze the way you think, be conscious of your situation and only give out information if it is necessary. Be proactive in protecting your identity, practice it, and make it routine.

How you can protect yourself.

• Ask Questions - Don’t think that the phone company needs your social security number, ask them why. Some compaines such as financial institutions need it to run a credit report, other compaines gather this information as a convenience or for their own account verifications.

• Keep a separate CC for online purchases - I recommend that everyone has a separate card with a small limit, strictly for online purchases. If your card number is ever stolen, you know your purchases and your card limit will not effect your credit score.

• Have an IT professional help secure your network - An IT professional will be able to find security holes that you may not be aware of, remember it is their job to stay current with technology.

• Internet Consciousness - Don’t reply to rouge emails, watch out for insecure websites. If you are making a purchase or checking your account information make sure the site is secure (https://) and there is not a certificate violation.

• Check your financial records - Check your bank statements each month, look for unusual purchases. Online banking has made it easier to check your purchases with real-time updates. Be aware of your credit score, monitor it regularly, monitor it regularly, monitoring does NOT lower your score.

• Protect your documents - Keep your important documents in a secure place, like a lockbox or safe. Destroy your mail, shred any evidence of your existence in your mail. Don’t let a dumpster diver find you. Secure your laptop and thumbdrives, these portable devices can sometimes contain very personal information about you or your company, make sure they are readable by you only.

” There are an infinite number of ways your identity can be compromised, protecting it starts with you. “