Twelve STEPS to take:
1. Immediately report lost or stolen credit cards
2. Review and monitor your consumer credit report regularly
3. Do not carry your Social Security card, social insurance card, or birth certificate. Keep them in a safe place.
4. Be aware and note when your monthly financial statements arrive.
5. Verify all charges on your financial statements
6. Keep your ATM and Debit Card receipts – do not leave them behind in the machine
7. Shield Your PIN number entry when entering the numbers
8. Remove your hard drive when disposing of an old computer
9. “Forget Me” or “Remember Me” – Choose “Forget Me” make it harder for hackers to follow.
10. “Fraud Alerts” and “Credit Freezes” – Use them, but don’t rely on them only – Protect your personal private information
11. Practice Prudent Posting on social networking sites – practice anonymity.
12. Do you know what is imprinted on that hotel key you just left behind? Take it with you and destroy it later.
Make a copy of everything in your wallet, front, and back. If lost or stolen, you now know whom to call.
Identity Theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States and the United Kingdom. Did you ever stop and wonder why? It is the path of least resistance for cybercriminals and identity thieves. In addition, they are literally “banking” on the fact the consumer is too pre-occupied to do something about it, and will typically choose convenience over security.
You can bet the hacker or cybercriminal will choose convenience, the path of least resistance, and they are betting on consumers to make it easy makes because they rather it be convenient than secure.
Now you can have your cake and eat it too. Subscribe to a service that will manage as much as possible to keep you, your family, and your online digital persona safe.
Consider what your identity monitoring service provides, here is a comparison of several recognized popular services: [Comparision.pdf]
Enjoy the Internet safely.
