Practical Steps for Identity Theft (002)
It’s happened to all of us. The phone rings and you don’t recognize the number. Should you answer or let it go to voice mail?
What if it's one of the kids who are in trouble calling from a different number? What if it's a client and you don't recognize the number? What if it's a friend in need?
You decide to answer and the person asks for some of your personal information in order to fix a problem you didn’t even know you had.
Statistics show that 1 in 5 will become a victim of this type of crime.
$36.5 billion is lost annually to fraudulent scams.
Here are four ways to help protect you from becoming one of those statistics.
Be Alert
Never give out your information over the internet, phone or by mail, unless you’re sure about who will be receiving it. If it seems too good to be true, investigate first!
You can learn about the latest scams by visiting usa.gov/common-scams-frauds.
2. Dispose your personal information properly
Be sure to securely shred or delete sensitive documents and information. Wiping old electronics of all information before you dispose of them can also help prevent identity fraud.
3. Get creative with passwords
Create a strong password using more than six characters, a mix of letters and numbers, both upper and lowercase letters, and punctuation marks, such as exclamations. Avoid using your pet’s name, date of birth or other easily identifiable personal information.
4. Secure your browser
If you want to ensure your browser is secure, look for “https” at the beginning of the web address (the “s” stands for “secure”). Only access your accounts using networks and computers that you know are safe.
In closing, new scams are popping up every day. It’s impossible to know about all of them in advance so feel free to contact our office, if you are unsure, and we will be happy to help.