Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that approximately 9 million Americans are victims of Identity Theft each year. Often called “the fastest growing crime in America” ID Theft has impacted as many as one out of every four US households in one way or another. Since awareness about the dangers of Identity Theft first emerged a few years ago, the web and the airwaves have become saturated with information and products designed to educate us about ID theft and protect us from becoming one of its victims. In light of all of the options and information out there, what should someone reasonably do to protect themselves from Identity Theft?

How Do ID Thieves Get Their Information?
Despite the stories on television which report how ID thieves hack into government databases and steal thousands of identities, the vast majority of ID thefts are much less sophisticated. Most ID thieves get their information in one of the following ways:
• Via stolen wallets or purses
• Stealing or diverting mail containing personal information
• Accessing medical or other records at their place of employment
• Retrieving personal information from the trash.

What Information Is an ID Thief After?
An identity thief most values your name, social security number, and date of birth. With these three things he or she can secure a lot of bogus credit and do significant damage to your credit record. A social security number in particular can allow an ID thief to obtain loans, leases, lines of credit, and even tax refunds in your name. If a thief can get hold of an already existing credit card account number he or she can often run up hundreds or thousands of dollars in charges before the theft is discovered and stopped.

So What Should I Do To Prevent Identity Theft?
The simplest and most effective thing to do to prevent ID theft is to protect your personal information. The more of your personal information that’s “out there” within an ID thief’s reach, the more likely you are to become a victim. Here are some tips:
• Never leave a wallet or purse in a car or other public place
• Don’t carry your Social Security card with you unless you specifically need it.
• Don’t have your Social Security number or Drivers’ License number printed on your checks.
• Get a household shredder and use it for all personal documents.
• Don’t give out personal information to those you don’t know on the phone or internet.
• Be ware of apparently legitimate emails which request personal information
• If you suspect you’ve been a victim of ID Theft or suspect that your personal information    has been compromised in some way, alert the authorities immediately.
• Check your credit for free at least once a year via www.annualcreditreport.com

While it’s good to be concerned about ID Theft and to take reasonable steps to protect yourself from it, remember that it’s actually unlikely that you’ll be a victim so there’s no need to panic. A little diligence and some common sense can go a long way in ensuring that your identity remains yours alone.


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