Steps to Prevent Identity Theft or Reduce the Likelihood That it Will Occur

1. Rather than throwing them away, shred all documents which have your personal identifying information on them.

2. Keep your financial records in a safe location, and preferably under lock and key.

3. Be very careful about who you give access to your personal information. The FBI determined in 2004 that family members accounted for a very large percentage of ID thefts. Close friends are another source of ID thefts. This is particularly true if you have a relative who is having severe financial problems. I recommend that you control access to all of your personal identifying information. If some family member really needs to see something which has your personal information on it, bring it out and show it to them in your presence and then put it away. Don’t just let them have it.

4. When filling out admissions forms at doctor’s offices, dentist’s offices, etc., don’t put down your social security number. The evening cleaning crews at several Los Angeles-area office buildings ran an identity theft ring for years which went undetected: at night, the “cleaners” would copy patient charts and invoices and put the originals back into the file drawers while selling the copies to identity theft rings. The less information you have to give out, the better.

5. Learn about the various internet scams, including “phishing” and “pharming”, where seemingly authentic websites request your social security number and other identifying information. In general, unless I absolutely have to, I usually do not give my social security number over the internet.

6. Keep your computer updated with ad-ware and spy-ware protection. Spy-ware in your computer can actually transmit your keystrokes to remote identity thieves.

7. When ordering checks, use your first initial only. For instance, if your name is “John Smith,” order your checks in the name of “J. Smith”. If someone steals your checks but does not get other identifying information, they may make a mistake of giving an incorrect first name when filling out the check.

8. NEVER NEVER NEVER have your social security number on your personal checks. If you have to have your phone number on your checks, use your work phone number. Use a P.O. Box on your checks if you have one.

9. Photocopy the contents of your wallet (driver’s license, credit cards, etc.) in the event you lose your wallet. You will need to call your credit card companies immediately if you lose your wallet.

I hope this article has been of use to you. Thank you for taking the time to read it.
 

Copyright 2007 by Robert F. Brennan of Brennan, Wiener & Associates. For more information, contact www.SoCalCreditDamage.com or send an email to info@brennanlaw.com.