ShoppersResource.com highly recommends taking action
to protect your identity (personal information and account numbers). Please consider
the following steps to safeguard your private data:
Give out
your Social Security only when absolutely necessary. As a general rule,
we recommend that you do not fill in your SS# on any documentation. If the company
really needs it, they will ask. Even then, find out why they want the number.
Most financial and medical institutions will need it, but many other companies
that ask for it do not.
Don't give out your personal information
over the phone unless you have initiated the call. This will protect you from
falling prey to a caller whose sole purpose is to wrangle that information out
of you. If the call is legitimate, they can give you the name of the company and
a number for you to return the call. That gives you time to check things out before
giving out any information. If you receive a call from a telemarketer, simply
ask them to remove your number from their calling list immediately - they are
legally required to do so at your request.
Store your Social
Security card and other personal documents in a safe place (don't carry them
in your wallet). Be on the lookout for those institutions that want to put your
SS# on your membership card (health insurance ID cards and drivers licenses are
the most common). Request to have a randomly generated number instead.
Never
send your social security or credit card information via e-mail. It is safe
to pass this information along on a site that is using Secure Socket Layer protection
SSL (you may be applying for a bank account, credit card
or loan online), but never in an e-mail.
Keep track of all of
your ATM, credit card, debit card and other receipts. Store them in a safe
place until you receive the bill, and then file them. When it's time to discard
them, run the documents through a paper shredder.
Watch
your bills carefully (specifically your credit card statements). If you don't
receive your bills at the regular intervals, contact the credit card companies.
One trick an identity thief might use is to submit a false "change of address
form" so that your mail is redirected to another address (and you won't see
the fraudulent charges).
Create an online account with your
credit or debit card company. Log on and monitor your transactions weekly.
This will give you the opportunity to nip fraudulent activity in the bud (someone
may have your credit card number, and assume that you won't see the activity until
you get the bill).
Keep a list of all your credit card and other
financial information. You will want to have a record of your account numbers
and the number to call in case of a loss or theft.
Purchase
a paper shredder and use it! We recommend shredding any documents that you
would throw away that contain your name and address (in case someone is snooping
around in your trash). The bare minimum that you should shred includes: "pre-approved"
credit card offers, charge receipts, doctor's bills and insurance documents, bank
statements and all accompanying receipts, and all financial documentation. There
is a certain recommended time that you should keep these documents, but when it's
time to discard them, definitely shred them! Find out more on how
long you should retain your records.
Check your credit reports
at least once a year. You can work with a credit
reporting company so that you can review your credit at any time, or contact
one of the three major credit bureaus directly (Equifax,
Experian
and TransUnion):
Look for inquiries from institutions that you have not asked for
credit.
Cancel any unused credit card accounts
Ask about having a "fraud alert" placed on your account. The advantage
to making this request is that you will be contacted at the address and phone
number listed with the credit agency whenever a request is made to open a new
account. The disadvantage is that you would not be able to open any "instant"
credit accounts while you are out shopping.
Cut down
on unsolicited credit card offers. Opt out by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688)
and requesting that you not receive any more unsolicited offers. The FTC
has more information.
Cut down on junk mail. Contact the
Direct
Marketing Association (DMA) and register with the Mail
Preference Service (MPS). There is a small fee if you register online, and
it's free (and it takes longer to become active) by regular mail.
Cut
down on email. Contact the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and register
witht he e-Mail
Preference Service (e-MPS).
Cut down on telemarketing phone
calls. Contact the Direct
Marketing Association (DMA) and register with the Telephone
Preference Service (TPS). There is a small fee if you register online.
If
you do become a victim of identify theft (or lose your wallet), please do the
following:
