Just how safe is your identity?

How safe is your identity?

This is a question many people fail to ask themselves, especially in these times when identity theft is becoming the order of the day. Not knowing how safe your personal information is can put you at a great risk of being an identity theft victim. You will have more to lose when the thieves capture your personal information and misuse it, than when you try to keep your personal details safe from malicious persons and organizations.

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When you get into a point where your personal details such as Social Security number, PIN number and passwords are needed, be leery. It does not matter who is involved in the process. It might be the hospital, the supermarket, a charitable event or online purchase. Before you give out that sensitive information, investigate the security of the company you are dealing with. Ask for information on how customer details are safeguarded after transacting business with them. This might sound awkward, but it will save you from the hungry mouths of identity thieves.

You will also need to mind where you keep you valued documents or information. Do you write down your PIN number or passwords on paper? Do you carry your cards everywhere you go? Make sure you memorize your passwords and PIN number to avoid carrying them around on paper as they may be seen by other people. Make sure you keep copies of your cards and documents so that in case you lose them, you can report the loss easily and work to close specific accounts that have been compromised and have been quickly reissued in your name with new account and pin numbers.

Avoid giving your information to people or sites you don’t trust. Identity thieves capture such information and use it to distribute fake offers which in turn lead to identity theft. To be sure your personal information is safe, don’t send it in emails as they can be read by hackers. Ensure that you destroy any sensitive documents which you may not need to use in the future. Use a shredder to destroy such documents and always practice good identity protection program. Report all suspicious activities to relevant authorities for appropriate action.


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