Don't Be Duped! Understanding the Facts of Identity Theft.
There are more than 24,000 reports of identity fraud every day! That is one victim every 3 seconds! The majority of fraud does not happen online as most believe. Only about 9 percent of identify theft is a result of an online exchange. The majority of identity fraud results from hard copy documents and stolen information. Those most duped are people from the ages of 18 to 29!
Here are some preventive actions:
Order a credit report regularly. You can obtain one free report from each of the three major credit bureaus every year. I recommend pulling a free credit report every four months alternating each bureau...Experian, Equifax and Trans Union.
Shred all of your personal documents with a confetti-cut shredder.
Purchase a locked mailbox and send your outgoing mail directly at the post office.
Do not give your social security number, birthday, driver's license number or personal ID number, PIN numbers, mother's maiden name, etc. to anyone over the phone...EVER!
When sending personal information online, be sure the website you are using is legitimate. Do not access a website you will be sending information to, from a link. Access the website by typing in the web address directly in your browser. Also look for the padlock icon on the bottom of your browser that shows you have entered a secure site.
Opt out of unsolicited credit offers. You can do this by making one call to (888) 567-8688 or log onto
www.optoutprescreen.com. You have three options: A 5 year Opt-Out stops the selling of your name for five years. A permanent Opt-Out stops the selling of your name permanently and an Opt-In gives permission to sell your name.
Take the ID Theft Quiz at http://www.idconfidence.org/ This quiz give you a vulnerability score with a comparison to the national average and also gives you personalized protection tips based on your responses. It gives guidelines on what documents to shred and to keep, as well as links to key identity theft organizations.
Don't be duped! Take the ID Theft Quiz today!